Is Indoor Farming Safer?
FOODBORNE ILLNESS AND INDOOR AGRICULTURE
Whenever you eat raw foods (including produce!), there’s a risk of contracting a foodborne illness.
Foodborne illnesses occur when someone consumes food that has been contaminated with dangerous pathogens, bacteria, or parasites. Most of these dangerous microorganisms come from animal products, including raw meat, manure, and other bodily excrements.
These pathogens can contaminate raw produce in a few ways, including through irrigation water, fertilizer, and human contact.
However, indoor-grown produce has historically been safer than outdoor-grown. When food is grown indoors, it’s grown in a very strictly controlled and monitored environment.
The water, soil, nutrients, tools, and everything else that enters the growing space is ensured to be clean so that there’s no risk of disease or infection spreading to the crops. Additionally, since the plants are being grown indoors, there’s no risk of natural factors such as wildlife or runoff introducing contaminants.
An integrated climate controls solution for an indoor farm can include UV water sterilization, which can kill all harmful contaminants in the irrigation water and mitigate the risk of foodborne illness. Additionally, an irrigation system allows growers to closely monitor everything in their water and where/how the water is being delivered.
Indoor farms also have a lesser risk of foodborne illness contamination because they are more likely to use fertigation instead of manure to deliver nutrients to the plants.
Plus, indoor agricultural facilities have high standards for sanitization and health practices. Workers often wear gloves and other protective equipment to reduce the risk of cross contamination and disease for the plants, which also reduces the transfer of bacteria and pathogens that cause foodborne illness.
Controlled environments are so controlled that much of the risk for foodborne illness is mitigated. The level of control over an indoor farm means that if there is an outbreak, the source can easily be identified and rectified, and the consumers can be notified swiftly.
TC Control Group’s climate and irrigation solutions can help you reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Our fully integrated systems will monitor your entire operation, from irrigation and fertigation to humidity and lighting levels.
Have complete control over your growing environment with our advanced solutions. Contact us to get started.
