---
title: Well-trained Employees Essential for Fresh-Cut Produce Industry
description: Fresh cut processors must combine the efficiency of new systems with the expertise of well-educated employees.There are lots of resources employers can use to train their staff in effective fresh-cut safety practices and systems like the Accu-Tab chlorination system that can help keep their customers safer.
image: https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/hs-fs/hub/413480/file-2598115665.jpg
---
[About Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/about-us) [Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com) [Resources](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/resources) [Sustainability](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sustainability) [Contact Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/contact-us)
☰
- [Commercial Aquatics](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics)
- [Commercial Pools & Spas](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics/commercial-pools-spas)
- [Waterparks & Water Features](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics/waterparks-water-features)
- [Industrial](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial)
- [Aerobic & Onsite Wastewater](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial/aerobic-onsite-wastewater)
- [Food Safety & Irrigation](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation)
- [Fresh Cut & Packing](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/fresh-cut-packing)
- [Poultry & Red Meat](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/poultry-red-meat)
- [Irrigation Applications](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/irrigation-applications)
- [Beverage Plants](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/beverage-plants)
- [Municipal](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal)
- [Municipal Wastewater](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/municipal-wastewater)
- [Potable Water](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/potable-water)
- [Combined Sewer Overflow](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal/combined-sewer-overflow)
- [Residential Pools](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools)
- [Pool Care & Maintenance](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools/pool-care-maintenance)
- [Sustain Pool Care System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools/sustain-pool-care-system)
- [Products](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products)
- [Accu-Tab Chlorination Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [How It Works](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/how-it-works)
- [Competitive Comparison](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/competitive-comparison)
- [Acid-Rite pH Adjustment System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/acid-rite-ph-adjustment-system)
- [Zappit](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/zappit)
- [Sustain](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/sustain)
- [Granular](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/granular)
- [About Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/about-us)
- [Resources](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/resources)
- [Sustainability](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sustainability)
- [Contact Us](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/contact-us)
- [Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
[](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
# Well-trained Employees Essential for Fresh-Cut Produce Industry
Posted on March 9, 2015
- [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share)
Technology and automation [are expected](https://freshcut.com/index.php/magazine/article/lining-up-the-future) to play a big role in fresh-cut produce facilities of the future.However, when it comes to producing a product that’s both safe and fresh, produce processors must combine the efficiency of these new systems with the expertise of well-educated employees. Fortunately, there are lots of resources employers can use to train their staff in effective fresh-cut safety practices.
While systems like the [*Accu-Tab® Calcium Hypochlorite Feed System*](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation/fresh-cut-packing) are a low maintenance, affordable way to automate operations, the expertise and attention of your staff is vital to growing and protecting your business. For example, our system offers precise, consistent chlorine delivery; however, the employees managing it still must know how many hypochlorite tablets to deploy, depending on how much water is being used.
In any professional setting, knowledge is power, and industry training programs like the [United Fresh Foundation](https://www.unitedfresh.org/programs/produce_inspection_training_program), [International Produce Training](https://www.ipt.us.com/produce-inspection-services/produce-inspection-training-program), the [University of California Davis Postharvest Technology Center](https://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/) and others offer facilities USDA-accredited and on-site or off-site courses. These courses train employees in the fundamentals of produce inspection and standards in addition to courses on individual commodities.
Educating your employees on these best practices can minimize losses and encourage fresher, more attractive output. An employee that has not been formally trained by a USDA-accredited program may not know the difference between a bruised berry and a decaying one, or how much rib discoloration on a head of lettuce is acceptable. These decisions can have profound effects on your bottom line. Inspection and commodity courses teach your employees how to protect your inventory, your reputation, and of course, your customers.
Fresh-cut produce facilities should be aware of **Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)**—a preventative approach to food safety that is mandatory for juice and meat processors but is non-binding for produce processors. However, the FDA still recommends employee training for maximum safety. You can read the FDA’s full HACCP guide for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables [here](https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ProducePlantProducts/ucm064458.htm), which includes the following recommendations:
- **Disease Control:** Establish policies for reporting employee illnesses, train supervisors to identify symptoms, and contain employee injuries and wounds.
- **Cleanliness:** Establish good personal hygiene practices as well as sanitizing gloves and other handling equipment.
- **Training:** As noted earlier, USDA-accredited training courses are a great way to prevent inadvertent contamination or spoilage of produce. The FDA’s HACCP standards recommend training produce processing employees in the following:
- Hand washing technique.
- Roles and responsibilities of different positions in the facility, from those who identify deficiencies in the end product to those who monitor the pH levels and temperature of wash water.
- Sanitation principles and practices, including sanitation of processing equipment, and tools, as well as proper chemical storage. Specifically, the FDA [advises](https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/ProducePlantProducts/ucm064458.htm) that all water that eventually becomes a component of fresh-cut produce, including contact with equipment and surfaces, comply with Federal, State and local requirements. *(A modern chlorination system can be a great avenue through which to educate your employees about these practices.*
Chlorination systems and even optical sorting technologies will have an important part to play in produce processing facilities for years to come. But with technology comes a responsibility to maintain high standards. Training your employees in these practices may not be mandatory, but it will help your fresh-cut make the cut in an industry that’s becoming more competitive and more efficient every day.
Topics: [Produce/Fresh Cut Safety](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/producefresh-cut-safety)
[](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/rss.xml)
This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached.
Search
- There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.
### Topics
- [Aquatics (22)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/aquatics)
- [chlorination (8)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/chlorination)
- [CleanSlate (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/cleanslate)
- [CSO (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/cso)
- [Food Safety (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/food-safety)
- [FSIS (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/fsis)
- [FSMA (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/fsma)
- [Irrigation (9)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/irrigation)
- [Mon Valley Sewage Authority (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/mon-valley-sewage-authority)
- [Municipal (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/municipal)
- [pathogen protection (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/pathogen-protection)
- [pH balance (7)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/ph-balance)
- [Pool Disinfection (5)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/pool-disinfection)
- [Produce/Fresh Cut Safety (5)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/producefresh-cut-safety)
- [salmonella standards (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/salmonella-standards)
- [Sustainability (1)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/sustainability)
- [Wastewater (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/wastewater)
- [water quality in the news (2)](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/topic/water-quality-in-the-news)
### Subscribe Here!
###### Applications
- [Commercial Aquatics](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/commercial-aquatics)
- [Industrial](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/industrial)
- [Food Safety & Irrigation](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/food-safety-irrigation)
- [Municipal](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/municipal)
- [Residential Pools](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/residential-pools)
###### Products
- [Accu-Tab® Chlorination Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [Acid Rite® pH Balancing Systems](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/acid-rite-ph-adjustment-system)
- [Accu-Tab® Wastewater Tablets](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems)
- [Zappit](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/zappit)
- [Sustain® Pool Care System](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/sustain)
- [Granular](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/granular)
###### Contact Us
- Customer Support
800-245-2974
- Technical Support
855-934-3570
- 11 Stanwix Street
(Suite 1470)
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
###### Resources
- [Keeping Tabs Blog](https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com)
- [How It Works](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/how-it-works)
- [Competitive Comparison](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/products/accu-tab-chlorination-systems/competitive-comparison)
###### Follow Us
[California Supply Chain Transparency](https://www.westlake.com/csct) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.westlake.com/privacy-policy) | [Terms of Use](https://www.westlake.com/terms-use) | [Sitemap](https://www.westlakewatersolutions.com/sitemap.aspx)
© 2026 Westlake Water Solutions. All rights reserved.
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Accu-Tab News Team",
"url" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/author/accu-tab-news-team"
},
"dateModified" : "2026-04-14T16:11:07.999Z",
"datePublished" : "2015-03-09T14:30:00.000Z",
"headline" : "Well-trained Employees Essential for Fresh-Cut Produce Industry",
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/well-trained-employees-essential-for-fresh-cut-produce-industry",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://blog.westlakewatersolutions.com/hubfs/Logos/Westlake-Water-Solutions-Logo-Web.svg"
},
"name" : "Westlake Corporation, Westlake Water Solutions"
}
}
```