Overview
Physical or chemical cleaning to remove pests or sterilise the surface of the commodity.
- Examples include washing, brushing, waxing, contact steam or a high-pressure air or water spray for horticultural commodities, surface cleaning of shipping containers (see ISPM 41), and surface sterilisation for seeds.
- Evaluating the efficacy of this measure requires demonstrating that the surface cleaning method removes pests with the required efficacy.
- Surface cleaning is often applied as a standard commercial practice. It can also be applied as a phytosanitary measure to manage the risks of external pests.
- Assurance can be achieved through record-keeping and audit of any surface cleaning requirements.
Evidence to support efficacy
Experimental evidence can be used to demonstrate the effect of surface cleaning on the removal of pests from the commodity. Results can be confirmed in an operational setting. Studies may need to account for the diversity of techniques and equipment employed across facilities in a particular industry.
Applying the measure
How it is used
Surface cleaning can manage the risks of external pests such as mites and mealybugs or sterilise pathogens on the surface of the commodity. It can only be used where the surface cleaning methods do not affect the quality of the commodity and where they are sufficiently effective and standardised across processing facilities.
Surface cleaning practices that are standard commercial practices and consistently implemented across the industry can be considered during pest risk assessment. They can also be applied as a phytosanitary measure where this is not the case.
Use with other measures
Surface cleaning is often combined with additional cleaning practices to remove contaminants, such as soil and other plant material, from the commodity and with prohibit parts of commodity.
Similar measures
Surface cleaning differs from pest-free inputs and sanitation, which are directed at minimising the exposure of commodities to pests (through pest management) rather than removing pests from the commodity.
Surface cleaning differs from removing contaminants which is targeted at extraneous material that may contain the pest, such as soil or plant material.
Assurance of correct implementation
Assurance may require record-keeping and audit of any surface cleaning requirements. There may be requirements for the development of standard operating procedures and staff training to ensure that surface cleaning methods are correctly implemented.