CUSTOM-BUILT STEAM CONDITIONING AS A PROCESSING INTERVENTION FOR SALMONELLA ENTERICA REDUCTION ON IN-SHELL PECANS

Pecan harvesting practice such as mechanically shaking the nuts to stay on the ground for several days until collected can pose food safety risk.Several agricultural practices such as cattle grazing, irrigation or rain events and unhygienic farm practices can lead to foodborne pathogen contamination of the in-shell nuts while on the farm.While steam treatment of in-shell pecans is a potential conditioning method that growers can use to facilitate shelling, it also holds potential as a decontamination strategy.This study evaluated the efficacy of steam treatments on Salmonella enterica inactivation on in-shell pecans.