New Leaf President Shares SmartWash Perspective At United Fresh

Salinas, CA – New Leaf Food Safety Solutions President Jim Brennan weighed in on a critical food safety topic at United Fresh 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In a May 3rd session attended by fresh-cut processors, Mr. Brennan joined with speakers from Chiquita Brands International and Purfresh to address the attributes of each of their respective wash systems and how the industry will benefit.

In an industry beset by regular occurrences of food outbreaks and with a renewed focus on food safety improvements, it is recognized that today’s wash systems are the last line of defense to prevent the occurrence of foodborne illness in packaged ready-to-eat salads.

However, current wash systems are faced with performance limitations as highlighted in the March 2011 issue of the Journal of Food Protection. The results of a USDA study demonstrate that insufficient chlorine levels in lettuce wash systems result in failure to prevent cross contamination.

Mr. Brennan explained how SmartWashTM, New Leaf’s revolutionary wash system enhancer, solves the problem of cross contamination through the mechanics of wash system control parameters to provide an essential step in managing the risk of outbreaks of foodborne illness.

A 25-year veteran of the ready-to-eat salad market, Mr. Brennan has led the three-year development of SmartWash for Taylor Fresh Foods. The team at New Leaf Food Safety Solutions evaluated all of the current wash system offerings as well as numerous developmental alternatives before settling on the SmartWash formula.

Currently in full commercial use at Taylor Fresh Foods and River Ranch processing facilities and undergoing testing by other processors, SmartWash has been used to wash over two billion pounds of leafy greens and vegetables. For more information, visit newleaffoods.com

About New Leaf Food Safety Solutions

A division of Taylor Fresh Foods, the national leader in value-added produce in the food service category, New Leaf Food Safety Solutions provides innovative food safety solutions engineered specifically for the fresh food industry. Recognizing the critical need to prevent recurring outbreaks of foodborne illness, New Leaf provides complete turnkey solutions including commercial scale testing, product installation, integration into client systems and customer support.

Source: New Leaf Food Safety Solutions