PUBLICATION SP798A

How to Use and Monitor Chlorine (Sodium/Calcium Hypochlorite) in Fruit and Vegetable Washwater and on Equipment and Food Contact Surfaces

Publish Date: August 04 2017 |  Language: English

DOI: doi.org/10.7290/UTIAPub/SP798A

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If you have questions about this resource, contact your county Extension office.

Summary

Chlorine is a common, low-cost sanitizer for produce wash water and for sanitizing equipment and food-contact surfaces. This guide explains what sanitizing means, the main chlorine forms used on farms, and how factors like pH, temperature, contact time, and organic matter affect performance. It outlines safe use of food-grade, EPA-registered products, stresses cleaning before sanitizing, and shows how to calculate and verify target ppm with test strips, along with recordkeeping checks for free chlorine, pH, and water clarity.