Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
nation's food and water supplies and be promulgated through the supply chain. The
increased complexity and globalized character of today's supply chain also raises
concerns that FFVs could act as vehicles for transmitting bioterrorist threats through
the food supply that could endanger public safety. Adopting the safety practices men-
tioned above enhances the safety of fresh produce, and also helps safeguard the
nation's food supply from these potential sources of bioterrorism.
The military faces a unique set of challenges in providing FFVs to personnel in
different types of environments across distant global deployments on land or on the
sea. FFVs are a highly valued part of a well-balanced diet for the soldier, and land-
based foodservice operations often have the option of purchasing fresh produce from
local vendors in host nations. Produce procured in these circumstances pose potential
risks from microbiological hazards and agriterrorist threats, and fresh produce is rou-
tinely treated with chlorine rinses to inactivate microorganisms. FFVs are also an
important part of all meals served on board U.S. Navy ships. Due to the inexorable
process of ripening, fresh produce tends to be highly perishable, especially in improp-
erly controlled storage conditions. In the past, transoceanic shipments of produce to
distant global deployments incurred substantial economic losses due to improper
storage and handling that contributed to premature spoilage.
To ensure that military personnel have available the freshest and most nutritious
produce, scientists at the U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center, Department of
Defense Combat Feeding Directorate (NSRDEC/CFD) are investigating methods to
ensure the microbiological safety and to extend the fresh shelf life of FFVs. They
explore modifi ed atmosphere packaging (MAP) to retard postharvest quality losses
and extend the shelf life of select FFVs. They focus on a commercial MAP technology
whose effectiveness was recently demonstrated on board the USS Ronald Reagan
(CVN-76) for iceberg lettuce, bananas, broccoli, and romaine lettuce. They also
explore novel technologies based on chemically generated chlorine dioxide, which
has the capability of eliminating microbial hazards on FFVs, preventing enzymatic
discoloration of certain fresh-cut fruits, and sanitizing food-processing and -handling
equipment. The Portable Chemical Sterilizer (PCS, see Doona and others 2005) is a
revolutionary device originally intended for the energy-independent sterilization of
medical equipment in austere environments. The PCS could be used in place of chlo-
rine rinses in military deployments or on-site during harvest at farming operations
to ensure the safety of fresh produce. The Disinfectant-sprayer for Foods and
ENvironmentally friendly Sanitation (D-FENS, Doona and others 2008a) is a conve-
nient spray-and-wipe device that generates aqueous chlorine dioxide on-site to sanitize
food contact surfaces. Chlorine dioxide is EPA-registered for uses in food-processing,
-handling, and -storage plants, and it is approved for washing fruits and vegetables
(Food and Drug Administration 1998 ). The PCS and D - FENS are “ green ” technolo-
gies that produce fewer dichlorinated by-products than technologies using chlorine
rinses (bleach, OCl
−
) or chlorine gas (Cl
2
).
The application of chlorine dioxide to foods requires strong enough doses to elimi-
nate the most resistant microorganisms present, while also avoiding overprocessing
or unwanted side reactions that could compromise appearance, fl avor, or food quality
(Rico et al. 2007). This type of balance was recently achieved using chlorine dioxide
to eliminate spoilage microfl ora and
>
5-log reductions of pathogens (
E. coli
O157:H7,
