Waxing roller brushes are essential in packinghouses for applying wax to fruits and vegetables, but they may also pose food safety risks. Industry concerns over cleaning and sanitizing these brushes led UC Davis scientists to investigate. Led by Dr. Luxin Wang, with chemical engineering support from Dr. Gang Sun, the study aims to understand how wax residues impact pathogen survival on these brushes.
The researchers plan to evaluate and improve cleaning and sanitizing methods, looking closely at materials, brush patterns, and wax bases. One key objective was comparing nylon brushes to a blend of horsehair and polyethylene. They found that pathogens declined faster on nylon brushes, indicating material choice affects pathogen survival.
With industry collaborators, Wang’s team also collected swab samples from roller brushes across three packinghouses. Samples taken before and after cleaning reveal how effective current protocols are in real conditions.
Ultimately, this research seeks to offer the produce industry science-backed cleaning strategies, reducing potential risks from wax-residue buildup.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet News Hour and The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.