Vegenotes is a technical publication that is released alongside Vegetables Australia magazine. Each edition presents the main findings of two vegetable levy-funded research projects to give growers both technical and practical information to encourage better uptake of research outcomes.

Vegenotes 77 has a focus on enhancing food safety and shelf life in the vegetable industry.

We speak to Dr Doris Blaesing, who reiterated that although all food businesses that supply food directly to the public must, by law, have a food safety program in place, not all vegetable growers are aware that they fall under this regulation.

Dr Blaesing is part of a team of researchers from RM Consulting Group, who analysed the current level of food safety management in the vegetable industry, including key risks, as part of the Hort Innovation-funded project Fostering and enhancing food safety in the vegetable industry (VG13020).

As a result of the project, the VegPRO project (VG15028) last year produced a food safety training e-learning course for employees, which was well received by veg producers.

Vegenotes 77 also details major findings from a Hort Innovation-funded project entitled Scoping study of a disorder that reduces shelf life and consumption of green beans (VG14040).

The study aimed to investigate the causes of a post-harvest disorder of green beans, often referred to as ‘rust’, that was affecting the aesthetic of the produce and reducing shelf life.

Led by Dr Dolf de Boer, the research team understood scoping activities, including a literature review, the collection of anecdotal evidence from growers, researchers and agronomists; a visit to a key production area in Lindenow, Victoria; and a laboratory testing of samples of bean plants.

To read the latest edition of Vegenotes online, click here.