North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[<dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>]

Betsy,

Thanks for your detailed response.  I really appreciate the links you sent
and the information available.  I noticed you are at the EPA.  It just so
happens that this guy I went to college with is also at the EPA.  His name
is Stephen Johnson!

One thing I did forget to mention is that we use Tsunami 100
(http://www.ecolab.com/Initiatives/FoodSafety/FST/Tsunami.asp) in our tank
wash at a rate of 25ppm - 45ppm.  It specifically attacks E coli O157:H7.
Since all of our apples go through the wash and are scrubbed prior to
sorting or cider use, we want to make sure to get that bacteria sheltered in
the calyx (blossom end), or in the stem crevice that you hypothesized about,
before anyone takes a bite out of an apple.  Not only does the Tsunami help
sanatize the apples, it also helps keep the tank water santitized as well as
the brushes in the washer as the apples pass through.  I think Tsunami is a
great product for the cost.  We use about 8 gallons per season at a cost of
$120 for the season.

Here are some case histories for you:

http://www.ecolab.com/Initiatives/FoodSafety/FST/Images/27757%20Tsu%20E%20Tomato.pdf

http://www.ecolab.com/Initiatives/FoodSafety/FST/Images/27607%20Tsu%20Apple%20Juice.pdf

http://www.ecolab.com/Initiatives/FoodSafety/FST/Images/27152%20Tsu%20MixVeg.pdf

http://www.ecolab.com/Initiatives/FoodSafety/FST/Images/25988%20Tsu%20Potato.pdf

Thanks again for the response!

Dennis Norton
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
http://www.revivalhymn.com
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Hilborn.E@epamail.epa.gov>
To: <dmnorton@royaloakfarmorchard.com>; "North American Fruit Explorers" 
<nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2007 1:17 PM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] more E.coli


> Dennis,
>
> Your critical protective step may actually be the pasteurization, not
> the sanitation.
>
> I investigated an E coli O157:H7 outbreak in CT associated with apple
> cider. They washed and brushed their apples, they used some drops.  They
> also sold the product raw.
> Due to the brisk and thorough washing procedure used at this cider mill,
> we hypothesized that some bacteria may have been sheltered in the open
> end of the apple (blossom end), or in the stem crevice.
> As Lucky stated, this pathogen is of concern due to the small number of
> organisms needed to cause infection, and I would add, the potentially
> severe consequences of infection.
>
> http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00045558.htm
>
> However, within a couple of years, we learned that there may be another
> location for pathogen in produce. In a large outbreak of illness in
> Japan during 1997, the source of infection was traced to radish sprouts.
> Subsequent research indicated that the pathogen could be located in an
> intracellular location, or within stomata, protected from washing and
> pre-consumption sanitation steps.
>
> http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pubmed&pubmedid=9546189
>
> Work is underway now to examine if pathogenic E. coli can survive and
> remain infective within leafy greens.
>
> http://www.freshexpress.com/research/research.asp
>
> Risk factors for pathogenic E. coli contamination include animal feces,
> contaminated worker hands, contaminated irrigation or processing water
> or contaminated dust.
>
> Because of the multiple routes for fecal material to contaminate produce
> with pathogens,  IMO, there remains a small risk to human health from
> eating raw produce.  If someone has a weakened immune system, or wishes
> to minimize risk of illness, cooking and pasteurization can be used to
> reduce the risk.
>
> Betsy Hilborn
> 7a NC
>
>
>
>             <dmnorton@royalo
>             akfarmorchard.co
>             m>                                                      To
>             Sent by:                 "North American Fruit Explorers"
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>             sts.ibiblio.org                                         cc
>
>                                                                Subject
>             12/12/2007 07:40         Re: [NAFEX] more E.coli
>             PM
>
>
>              Please respond
>                    to
>             dmnorton@royaloa
>             kfarmorchard.com
>             ; Please respond
>                    to
>              North American
>             Fruit Explorers
>             <nafex@lists.ibi
>                blio.org>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We are a small batch facility....400 gallons to the batch.   We use do
> use
> drops from time to time.  All of our apples are sanitized before packing
> or
> using for cider and we pasteurize our cider, plus wash our sealed room
> cider
> mill with bleach between each batch, so we have no e-coli issues.
> Anyone
> who serves cider to the public and does not use sanitation procedures is
>
> asking for a problem!
>
> Dennis Norton
> Royal Oak Farm Orchard
> http://www.royaloakfarmorchard.com
> http://www.theorchardkeeper.blogspot.com
> http://www.revivalhymn.com