Brush washing is a mechanical cleaning process that uses rotating soft brushes to dislodge stubborn soil and surface contamination from firm fruit and vegetables, reducing microbial load before further processing.
In trade practice
Processors select brush hardness and rotation speed according to the product being cleaned: stiffer brushes suit root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, while softer brushes are used for apples or similar firm fruit. Water flow and brush pressure are monitored to prevent skin damage that would accelerate spoilage. QA teams check for residual soil and surface bruising after each production run. Brush condition is logged and brushes are replaced on a scheduled basis to maintain cleaning efficacy.
In a specification
A product specification may require that brush-washed material shows no visible soil contamination and that surface integrity is maintained, with brush type and rotation speed recorded in the processing protocol.