University of California, Davis wants to hear from California dried fruit processors.
California is a major producer of dried fruits, and we at UC Davis want to support the production of high-quality dried products. A team of researchers in the Food Science and Technology Department is interested in developing guidance on the best practices to ensure the safety and quality of dried California specialty crops.
To support our California dried fruit producers, we need information on the most common industry practices currently being employed for dehydrating. Do you sun dry or use a mechanical dehydrator? We want to know. Do you apply a chemical treatment to reduce browning and increase shelf life? We want to know. The information gathered will inform research priorities and guidance that producers can use to improve processes and satisfy regulatory requirements.
Please consider providing information about your process to inform our team. Our goal is to support the industry and enhance potential market channels for dried fruit processors.
The survey will take approximately five to 10 minutes of your time.
If you have questions about the survey or ongoing efforts to support dried fruit processors, please contact Dr. Erin DiCaprio at (530) 752-6594 or eldicaprio@ucdavis.edu.
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This article was written by Erin DiCaprio.
About the Author: Erin DiCaprio is an assistant specialist in community food safety with the University of California Cooperative Extension. Dr. DiCaprio’s area of expertise is in microbial food safety, with an emphasis on foodborne viruses. Viruses are a leading cause of foodborne disease, and high-risk foods for viral contamination are fresh produce, shellfish, and ready-to-eat foods. Her research is focused on determining the mechanisms by which fresh produce is contaminated by foodborne viruses during production and processing and which biological and environmental factors influence viral persistence in these foods.