Food Safety Considerations and Design for Packing Sheds
Robert Hadad, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Cornell Vegetable Program
This diagram, showing food safety considerations and design recommendations for packing sheds, is not intended to give actual dimensions and square footage since packing sheds can be any size, shape, and configuration. It can be as formal as a permanent building or a canopy at the edge of a field (four sticks and a lid). What really matters is allowing enough room to accomplish the tasks without spreading contamination into the finished product during packing. If produce washing is done, then it is crucial that unwashed product doesn't come into contact with washed produce and the workers doing the washing are clean themselves.
The washing station set up needs to have enough room to move produce in and out. The equipment set-up should consider good drainage to keep the floor as dry as possible, no pooling, or splashing onto clean produce.
Wash Line and Packing Shed Design for Food Safety (pdf; 333KB)
Upcoming Events
Intro to Food Safety and GAPs Training
February 19, 2025
via Zoom,
This virtual workshop will serve two purposes:
- For produce farms just interested in learning about farm food safety, this program will introduce principles and best practices.
- For produce farms look for a GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) training needed to meet buyer demands for audit/certification, this program will provide that as well.