& CHAPTER 6 Overview of Hazards in Fresh-Cut Produce Production: Control and Management of Food Safety Hazards MARIA ISABEL GIL and MARIA VICTORIA SELMA Research Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Department of Food Science and Technology, CEBAS-CSIC, Campus Universitario, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain 6.1 Fresh-Cut Products 156 6.2 Food Safety Systems in the Fresh-Cut Produce Industry 156 6.3 Fresh-Cut Produce Production 158 6.3.1 Raw Material Receiving and Storage 158 6.3.2 Preliminary Washing and Sorting 158 6.3.3 Peeling 160 6.3.4 Size Reduction/Cutting 160 6.3.5 Size and Defect Sorting 161 6.3.6 Washing/Cooling 161 6.3.7 Dewatering 162 6.3.8 Weighing and Packaging 162 6.3.9 Storage and Transportation 163 6.4 Potential Microbial Risk of Fresh-Cut Product Operation 163 6.4.1 Pathogens in Fresh-Cut Produce 163 6.4.2 Contamination During Processing, Packaging, and Storage 167 6.5 Strategies to Reduce or Eliminate Hazards in Fresh-Cut Products 172 6.5.1 Temperature 172 6.5.2 Washing and Sanitizing Agents for Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables 174 6.5.3 Packaging: Controlled and Modified Atmospheres 194 6.6 Conclusions 198 References 198 155 Microbial Hazard Identification in Fresh Fruit and Vegetables, Edited by Jennylynd James Copyright # 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.