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Grounds and Buildings
Grounds and buildings should be free of conditions that may result in product contamination.
Grounds in the immediate vicinity of all packing areas should be kept clear of waste, litter, and improperly stored garbage. Remove weeds and keep all grasses cut to discourage the breeding, harboring, and feeding of pests.
Walls and ceilings should be impervious, and the floors must be continuous concrete and have sufficient drains. Walls and ceilings should be light in color for easier cleaning and to provide better lighting on work surfaces. Condensate from fixtures, ducts, and pipes should not contaminate food or food contact surfaces. Drainage areas may contribute to contamination of food by seepage, cross-contamination from shoes and boots, or by providing a breeding place for pests.
Remove any unnecessary articles, including old and inoperative equipment that is no longer used, to eliminate areas that harbor rodents and insects. Minimize the availability of food and water to pests, and eliminate potential nesting or hiding places for pests. Bins should not be stored immediately adjacent to the packing house.
Block access of pests into enclosed facilities.
Prevent entry of pests into packing areas by screening or blocking vents and holes in walls, doors, flooring, etc. All windows, doors, and openings around the packing operation should be screened to prevent insect and rodent entry. Entrances to storage areas by forklifts should be covered with plastic curtains.
Adequate lighting must be provided in the work areas.
Well-lit areas are more easily monitored for cleanliness. Interior lights must be shielded to prevent pieces of glass from getting onto the product in the event of bulb or tube breakage.
Refrigeration facilities sufficient to keep apples stored at 32 to 38 degrees F (as close to 32 degrees F as possible) should be available.
This will prevent growth of human pathogens as well as extend the product’s shelf life.