Food Safety

Release of the final report for oriental melon and rockmelon from Korea

No space for raw animal manures in melon production

By Dr S.P. Singh, Program Leader – Safe Melons. NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Melon growers and packers have effectively implemented food safety best practices. As a result, the microbial food safety surveillance data (2021-2022) from the project (VM20005) showed extremely satisfactory compliance from all melon production regions of Australia and across the supply chain. The credit for these results goes to the growers and packers. However, there is a strong need to continue this momentum of food safety culture in the industry and consistently deliver safe fruit to consumers in domestic and export markets.

Melon Food Safety Best Practice Guide

This guide has been produced as part of the Food Safety Training, Extension and Capacity for the Melon Industry Project (VM17002) funded by Hort Innovation using the melon industry levy, co-investment from NSW DPI and funds from the Australian Government. Greatest appreciation is expressed to the melon growers and packers who shared their data and information on food safety practices that served as the baseline for developing this document. Sincere thanks to the other supply chain participants (e.g., agronomists, extension officers, consultants, agricultural chemical resellers, supermarkets and exporters) who provided information on the food safety risks along the melon value chain. Special thanks to the reviewers of this guide including Dr Craig Shadbolt’s team at the NSW Food Authority, Brian Witherspoon and his team at Safe Food Production Queensland, Jemma O’Hanlon, R&D Manager at Hort Innovation and Dianne Fullelove, Melon Industry Development Manager. All members of the Horticultural Food Safety Research Group and staff of NSW DPI who contributed to this document are thanked for their valuable inputs and suggestions.

Melon food safety toolbox

This melon food safety toolbox has been produced as part of the Food Safety Training, Extension and Capacity for the Melon Industry Project (VM17002) funded by Hort Innovation using the melon industry levy, co-investment from NSW DPI and funds from the Australian Government. Greatest appreciation is expressed to the melon growers and packers who allowed photography at their properties and facilities for developing this resource. Zabrina Khan is thanked for her excellent design work in producing this toolbox. All members of the Horticultural Food Safety Research Group and staff of NSW DPI who contributed to this toolbox are thanked for their valuable inputs and suggestions.

Environmental driver for persistence of E. coli and Salmonella in manure-amended soils

A report by the ARC Training Centre for Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry highlighting that food safety risk mitigation strategies associated with the use of manures in fresh produce production need to be improved by addressing factors such as climate, soil management, application method, and initial microbial levels. These findings may be used to support guidelines establishing exclusion periods between manure fertilisation and the grazing or harvesting of crops, and may be useful for the generation of quantitative microbial risk models for fresh produce.

Reducing Listeria contamination from salad vegetables – project Report July 2019

Research report on how Listeria can be spread.

Australian Melons Export Presentation

Australian melons – background and food safety.

Food Safety – Animal pest management

Managing pests such as rodents and insects in packing sheds to prevent animal-borne pathogens from affecting melon fruit.

Food Safety – Bins and boxes

Maintaining food safety standards in all packaging and transport containers , both in the field and packhouse.

Food Safety – Characteristics of melons

What makes melons a target for food safety pathogens.

Food Safety – Comparison of sanitation systems

Choosing a sanitation system is crucial to preventing food safety issues but which system to choose? This paper discusses the pros and cons of all available sanitation systems.

Food Safety – Comparison of sanitisers

Table of sanitation systems for melon packhouses that gives easy reference to the benefits of various systems.

Food Safety – Cooling melons

The best way to cool field heat form melons without creating food safety problems.

Food safety – Evaluation of wash chemicals

Comparison of the available wash systems for melons.

Food Safety – Fertilisers and soil amendments

Explains the use of organic fertilisers in a food safety program to ensure that these feertilisers do not compromise the food safety of fruit.

Food Safety – Foodborne illness

An explanation of the illnesses caused by pathogenic infection of fresh food.

Food Safety – Health and hygiene

Maintaining high levels of human health and sanitation in the field and packhouses is important to prevent cross contamination from humans to fruit.

Food Safety – Irrigation water

The source and quality of irrigation water can impact on the infection levels in fruit.

Food Safety – Melon food safety checklist

Checklist provides a practical way of understanding the food safety risks on a melon farm.

Food Safety – Microbial testing

When, how and how often should fruit be tested for food-borne pathogens.

Food Safety – Monitoring chlorine in wash water

Monitoring systems assist in maintaining the sanitation of wash water to ensure that pathogens are controlled in packhouses.

Food Safety – Monitoring washing water

How to monitor chlorine levels; pH; water quality and water temperature in wash lines in packhouses.

Food Safety – Packhouse and equipment hygiene

Maintaining equipment in the packhouse prevents a source for food-borne pathogens to multiply.

Food Safety – Packing in the field

Many watermelons are field packed which avoids issues with wash water but it is important to maintain hygiene in field situations.

Food Safety – Sanitising wash water

Compares different types of sanitising agents including chlorine, ozone, peroxyacetic acid; nylate; stabilised chlorine dioxide; iodine; oxidising water.

Food Safety – Waste management

Maintaining good waste management prevents human health and food safety issues.

Food Safety – Why food safety is important

Explains the reasons that food safety is important when producing melons.

Food safety update

Latest information on food safety in fields and melon packing sheds.

Postharvest sanitisers and fungicides in a food safety system

Rockmelon food safety

Vegetable Leaf Miner

Description of vegetable leafminer and the risk it poses to the Australian melon industry.

What’s in the water?

Food safety for Directors

Good governance guide for directors, executives and business owners. Written for New Zealand but very applicable to Australia.