Video Library

A number of postharvest videos are available for purchase the UC ANR Online Catalog. A collection of Postharvest Videos, created by UC Davis Postharvest Specialists and others, and are available on our YouTube channel. They are organized under the following topics:

Harvest & Postharvest Handling Systems | Small Scale Postharvest Handling
Transportation | Produce Food Safety | Flowers & Ornamentals

Harvest & Postharvest Handling Systems

Details regarding common handling practices employed during the harvest, cooling and postharvest handling of various horticultural crops.mm

Apple Harvest & Postharvest Handling by Stemilt Growers (2005)
Artichoke Harvest by California Ocean Mist Farms
Asparagus Harvest & Postharvest Handling (1986)
Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Lettuce Harvest & Postharvest Handling (1986)
Broccoli Harvest (Australia)
Cabbage Mechanical Harvest by MachinebouwVanhoucke
Carrot Postharvest Handling (1986)
Cherry Harvest: Fruit Handling & Worker Safety English (1995)
Cherry Harvest: Fruit Handling & Worker Safety Spanish (1995) (La Cosecha de Cerezas: El Cuidado de la Fruta y la Seguridad de Trabajador)
Cherry Harvest & Postharvest Handling Process by Stemilt Growers (2005)
Date Harvest and Postharvest Handling (English) by Boudjebel VACPA (Packer and Exporter of Dates), Tunisia (2006)
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Date Harvest and Postharvest Handling (French) by Boudjebel VACPA (Packer and Exporter of Dates), Tunisia (2006)
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Date Harvest and Postharvest Handling (Spanish) by Boudjebel VACPA (Packer and Exporter of Dates), Tunisia (2006)
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Grapes: Harvesting California Table Grapes (1993)
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]
Lettuce Vacuum Cooling & Potato Postharvest Handling (1986)
Mushroom Harvesting & Postharvest Handling (1986)
Onion Packing Shed Operations by Fort Boise Produce
Romaine Heart Harvesting & Packing by California Ocean Mist Farms
Romaine Lettuce (Whole Heads) Harvesting & Packing (California) (2008)
Spinach Harvest by California Ocean Mist Farms
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Small Scale Postharvest Handling

Cold Storage for Small Farms. How to construct a small-scale cold storage room, and other options for cold storage at small farms (written by Jim Thompson and Marita Cantwell). (1993)
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Small-scale postharvest handling practices for horticultural crops. English (1999)
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]
Small-scale postharvest handling practices for horticultural crops. Spanish (1999) (Practicas de manejo posthcosecha a pequena escala de productos hortofruticolas.)
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]
Small-scale postharvest handling practices for horticultural crops French (1999) (Méthodes de manutention en post-récolte des produits horticoles pour petites exploitants.)
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3]

Transportation

Loading Makes the Difference. Illustrates and gives pointers regarding proper loading for the transportation of perishable horticultural commodity (fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and fresh-cut products) hauling vehicles. Presented by Jim Thompson, Tom Hinsch and Bob Kasmire. (1989)

Produce Food Safety

Sprouts

Safer Processing of Sprouts
The California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition jointly developed this video in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, university researchers, and industry representatives to assist the industry in producing a safer product. The video may also be useful for retailers, regulators, and anyone working with the industry that wants to better understand the product and current recommendations for best production. (2000)
Topics covered in the videos:
- Module 1. Introduction to Food Safety
- Module 2. Requirements and Guidelines for Sprouters
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 3A. Growing, Harvesting, Milling and Transportation and Storage
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 3B. Sprout production
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 3C. Seed Treatment
- Module 3D. Sampling and Microbiological Testing
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 3E. Cleaning and Sanitizing Equipment and Facilities
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 4. Personnel Practices
  Part 1, Part 2
- Module 5.
  Review and Additional Materials

Key words: Food Safety, Sprouts, Produce, Microbial Contamination, Best Practices

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Cantaloupe

With Consumers in Mind: Growing, Handling & Shipping CA Cantaloupes (Dr. Trevor Suslow, 2005)
Developed by Dr. Trevor Suslow at UC Davis, under funding from USDA CSREES and the CA Cantaloupe Advisory Board, and in collaboration with the California Melon Research Board this video provides general background and aspects of interest to foodservice buyers and retailers, detailing cantaloupe shed and field packing, California environmental conditions where melons are grown, scientific studies on cantaloupe safety, worker hygiene best practices, equipment sanitation best practices and shed packing best practices.
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Guidlines for the California Cantaloupe Industry (Dr. Trevor Suslow, 2005)
Developed by Dr. Trevor Suslow at UC Davis, under funding from USDA CSREES and the CA Cantaloupe Advisory Board, and in collaboration with the California Melon Research Board this video is directed at the growers and primary supplies of cantaloupe, detailing Good Agricultural Practices during the production, handling and postharvest handling of California grown cantaloupe. Issues addressed in the video include safe water use, safe soil amendment application and how to reduce the potential for microbial contamination. The video also provides recommendations regarding food safety best practices for worker training, field and harvest sanitation, postharvest packing house operations, shed packing operations and transportation to markets.
[Part 1] [Part 2]
Also of interest: "Salmonella and Cantaloupe: What Can Consumers Really Do" (Dr. Trevor Suslow, March 2008), and "Compilation of Research Citations on the Microbiological Safety and Risk Reduction Interventions for Fresh and Fresh-cut Melons" (Carol D'lima and Trevor Suslow, April 2008). Both are PDF articles.

Strawberry

Maintaining Quality & Safety in California Fresh Strawberries
Below are links to PDF documents containing both the slides and audio content of an interactive distance learning webinar hosted on April 15, 2008 by the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center in collaboration with the California Strawberry Commission. The webinar was attended by nearly 100 participants from the produce industry, academia and government, and lasted approximately 90 minutes. The webinar featured five speakers who provided insights and discussion among participants and speakers during question and answer sessions:
- Introduction and Overview, Jim Gorny, Ph.D., UC Davis (Facilitator)
- Current Industry Food Safety Best Practices, Chris Christian, California Strawberry Commission
- Role of Product Testing in Food Safety, Trevor Suslow, Ph.D., UC Davis
- Transportation & DC Handling of Fresh Strawberries, Jim Thompson, UC Davis
- New PACA Temperatures for Fresh Strawberries, Rick Tomlinson, California Strawberry Commission
- Retail & Foodservice Handling, Beth Mitcham, Ph.D., UC Davis

Handwashing/Hygiene/Washing Produce

Proper Handwashing and Good Hygiene in the Produce Industry (2005)
Developed by the International Food Safety Network (iFSN) at KSU, this short practical educational video covers the importance of worker hygiene and in particular proper hand washing techniques for produce handlers.
How to Properly Wash Your Produce
Dr. Christine Bruhn, Director of the Center for Consumer Research at U.C. Davis provides up-to-date, easy to understand information that consumers can use for safe in-home handling and preparation of fresh produce.

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Home Consumption: Quality & Safety

How to Tell If Your Fruits and Vegetables Have Gone Bad
Dr. Christine Bruhn, Director of the Center for Consumer Research at U.C. Davis explains how to determine if the food in your refrigerator is safe to eat, or if it's time to send it to the trash.

Fresh-cut Produce

Safer Processing of Fresh-cut Produce. A Food Safety Training Video Developed by the California Department of Public Health.
The California Department of Public Health in collaboration with the U.S. FDA, CDC, university researchers, and industry representatives developed this video to assist the fresh-cut produce industry in producing safer products. The video may also be useful for retailers, regulators, and anyone working with the industry who wants to understand safer fresh-cut produce processing and current recommendations for best production practices. The video is divided into the following modules and may be used to train anyone involved in the processing of fresh-cut produce. (2003)
To order this video on VHS tape click here to download an order form as a PDF document. We gratefully acknowledge the California Department of Public Health for allowing the Postharvest Technology Research & Information Center to post this valuable educational outreach video.

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Flowers & Ornamentals

Roses & the Effects of Ethylene Exposure. Time lapse photography. (2007)
[Part 1] [Part 2]