Harvest & Post-Harvest
Trimming, Handling & Contact Contamination
Every post-harvest contact step can move plant debris and microorganisms between flowers, tools, gloves, bins, tables, and lots. Workflow design should preserve lot identity while minimizing unnecessary handling and cross-contact.
Key concepts
- Harvested tissue can acquire contamination from contact surfaces
- Wet or damaged flowers are more vulnerable than stable dry product
- Tools and gloves can move material between lots
- Cleaning must be matched to the surface and followed by appropriate drying or sanitation practice
What to measure or observe
- Map product-contact surfaces
- Record cleaning between lots
- Keep suspect material physically separate
- Inspect high-contact locations for debris buildup
Common mistakes
- Using the same uncleaned tools across lots
- Stacking flowers deeply during trimming
- Returning rejected material to clean product
- Assuming gloves remain clean because they look clean
Visuals this lesson still needs
- Clean-to-dirty trimming workflow
- Contact-surface map
- Cross-lot contamination pathway
- Lot separation station