Blue gloves: This is the final review and sort of the fruit before heading for packing. Exeter-Ivanhoe Citrus Sunkist packing house

12/15/2006

Peter Goin digital photograph archive : Colors of California agriculture

Citrus Tasting and Packing House, December 2006

BANC PIC 2018.109--DIG :ag00548

Image

1 photograph : digital, TIFF

The Bancroft Library

From Louise Fisher: “…the blue gloves are worn on that particular line because the fruit is still wet (solution, wax, etc) & some of the sorters hands are sensitive to being exposed to moisture all day.  You'll note that in other shots the sorters are wearing cotton gloves.  By the time the fruit gets to them, it's dry but they wear gloves to protect the fruit from fingernail cuts/abrasions which would be entry points for organisms that could cause any number of issues (yes, I'll fill in some of those blanks when I talk to Jeff); and the gloves help protect the oil sacs of the rind - if those are damaged, those spots will show up as cosmetic defects relatively quickly.  That's the same reason pickers are to wear cotton gloves especially early in the season.  The oil sacs are especially sensitive when the fruit is damp or cool so if a fruit is picked by the bare hands and has any gassing at all, you can literally see where the pickers fingers touched the fruit.  I imagine that by protecting the oil sacs, the sorter is also protecting her hands from constant exposure to the citrus oil which could also be an irritant for those with sensitive skin or even those with tougher skin but prolonged exposure.” (email correspondence, June 18, 2007, from Louise Fisher to Peter Goin).

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