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In 1997, a
working group of volunteers from the California fresh-cut industry, academia, and state and
federal government released a
set of voluntary food safety guidelines for the fresh-cut industry in California. The International Fresh Cut
Produce Association (IFPA) and
the Western Growers Association (WGA) co-sponsored the development and printing of these
guidelines. The following text is from the introduction to these guidelines. The complete
publication can be ordered from the Western Growers Association (714-863-1000) in Irvine,
California.
Introduction
To Voluntary Guidelines For Control Of Microbial Hazards
This document provides voluntary guidelines to minimize
microbial contamination in various growing, packing, shipping and processing operations.
The information and procedures provided have been developed with input from a broad
cross-section of the fresh produce industry and represents the best efforts of the Food
Safety Initiative to provide information on best management practices to minimize
microbial contamination in a manner consistent with existing applicable regulations,
standards and guidelines. The information provided herein is offered in good faith and
believed to be reliable, but is made without warranty, express or implied, as to
merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or any other matter. These recommended
voluntary guidelines are not designed to apply to any specific grower, farm operation,
packing shed, facility, or process. It is the responsibility of the user of this document
to verify that these voluntary guidelines are appropriate for its use.
WGA, IFPA, The Food Safety
Initiative, their members or contributors to the voluntary guidelines do not assume
any responsibility for compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and recommend that users consult
with their own legal and
technical advisors to be sure that their own procedures meet with applicable client
specifications and internal requirements, as well as federal, state and local laws and
regulations.
This document also addresses
organic production practices. Organic producers are advised that there are state, federal,
and private certification organization standards and regulations that pertain to organic
production practices.
Some of the recommendations contained in this document are
already mandatory under federal, state and local laws and regulations. Contact an
appropriate trade association for help in identifying those laws and regulations that are
applicable to a specific operation.
In addition, the guidelines are not "final," as
they will be revised periodically as experience, new research and new technology may
suggest.
Additional developments in the fields of microbiology,
epidemiology and the evolving understanding of new and emerging disease issues will assist
in developing preventative strategies.
Last, but most importantly, these guidelines are designed
to be general and not specific. They are designed to inform others (i.e., retailers, food
service firms, media, advocacy groups, regulatory officials and consumers) of our current
and evolving attention to these issues. The guidelines are particularly directed to the
members of our industry as an aid to alert them to potential contamination issues.
NOTE: If, in using these guidelines, a grower, packer,
shipper or processor determines that a potential for risk exists, they are advised to
contact either their trade association, professional consultant, state or local
agricultural department official or other government entity to determine what, if any,
remedial tasks should be performed to minimize or eliminate the potential risk.
Potential Microbial Hazards
Increasing consumer concerns about food safety and several
recent outbreaks of foodborne illnesses caused by microbial contaminants have encouraged
the fresh produce industry to examine and implement farm and production practices designed
to minimize microbial hazards.
In January 1997, a group of growers, shippers, processors,
hydro-vac operators and other industry professionals agreed to pool resources to develop
voluntary guidelines which the fresh produce industry can use to minimize the risk of
microbial contamination. This effort, led by WGA and IFPA, is called the Food Safety
Initiative.
The information and voluntary guidelines which follow are
designed to be practical, economical, and yet effective. Others in the fresh produce
industry may find this document valuable in assessing their own practices, and they are
encouraged to consider its principles.
These voluntary guidelines are designed to serve as a
template that a grower, packer, shipper, or processor can adapt to their own business,
and, if used, will demonstrate to customers, regulators and end consumers, a good faith
effort to minimize microbial contamination risks.
There are data gaps in understanding the sources and
significance of microbial hazards as well as practices to minimize them. Consequently, it
is not well understood what specific impact water, manure or employees may have in
contributing to foodborne disease. Despite these constraints, growers, packers, shippers
and processors of fresh produce are proactively addressing the increasing concerns about
produce microbiological food safety issues among public health officials, media and
consumer groups through the development of voluntary practices aimed at reducing the
likelihood of foodborne diseases.
These voluntary guidelines are not "final" in
that they will be periodically revised as more information and new technology allow the
industry to better understand factors impacting these issues. The premise of the voluntary
guidelines is that fresh produce is not only safe to eat, but increased consumption should
be encouraged for the health and nutrition benefits that only fresh produce can provide.
These concepts are included in the Mission Statement
developed by the Food Safety Initiative Steering Committee:
"In recognition of an exemplary
record of years of successful production of safe, healthy produce, the industry has
enhanced its efforts to identify and control any microbial hazards that may be associated
with the production of fresh produce by:
- Monitoring the entire production process from planting to
consumption;
- Developing and advocating guidelines for best management
practices that control microbial hazards;
- Educating the produce industry, regulators, food service,
retailers, media and consumers about these efforts to provide the safest produce
possible."
In addition to the Steering
Committee, eight subcommittees were formed. Six studied one aspect of the growing, packing
or shipping process. The subcommittees were as follows: Pre-Harvest/Harvest, Field to
Vacuum/Cooler, Vacuum/Cooler to Post Vacuum/Cooler, In-Plant Packing House, In-Plant
Processing, and Distribution to Receiver.
The Food Safety Initiative also created the Outreach to
Industry Subcommittee and a Scientific Task Force comprised of noted university and
private sector scientists. The Scientific Task Force reviewed and revised the work product
of each subcommittee to ensure scientific accuracy.
Moreover, the Food Safety Initiative at every step has met
with and received input from various state and federal food safety officials who have
enthusiastically supported the development and implementation of the voluntary guidelines.
In closing, a tremendous amount of gratitude must be given
to the Food Safety Initiative Steering Committee which includes:
- Greg Flood, Grimmway Farms
- Craig Miller, Western Precooling
- Brian McElroy, California Certified Organic Farmers
- Bob Warnock, Fresh Express Farms
- Tom Minnich, Misionero Vegetables
- Paul Fleming, Martori Farms
- Dave Ceja, Express Cooling
- Bob Stovicek, Ph.D., Primus Group, Inc.
- Tom Shepherd, KLLM Transportation
- Dick Nutter, Monterey County Ag Commissioner
- Sammy Duda, Gene Jackson Farms-Duda California
- Leonard Batti, Tanimura and Antle
- Edith Garrett, President, IFPA
- Matt McInerney, Senior Vice President, WGA
- John Aguirre, Vice President, UFFVA
- Jasper Hempel, Vice President, WGA
Our appreciation is also extended to the Subcommittee
Chairs who spent a considerable amount of time attending meetings and drafting the
voluntary guidelines while still running their own businesses. The Subcommittee Chairs
are: Sammy Duda, Pre-Harvest/Harvest; Walt Armijo, Field to Vacuum/Cooler; Craig Miller,
Vacuum/Cooler to Post Vacuum/Cooler; Paul Fleming, In-Plant Packing House; Edith Garrett,
In-Plant Processing; and Tom Shepherd, Distribution to Receiver.
We would also like to show our genuine appreciation to our
Scientific Task Force, so capably co-chaired by Bob Stovicek, Ph.D. and Nancy Nagle,
Ph.D. Thank you for giving credibility to the voluntary guidelines. The Scientific
Task Force includes the following:
- Dean Cliver, Ph.D., Virology/Manure Management, University
of California,Davis
- Nancy Nagle, Ph.D., Food Science, Dole Food Company, Inc.
- Doug Archer, Ph.D., Microbiology, University of Florida
- Robert Krieger, Ph.D., Toxicology, University of California,
Riverside
- Diane Barrett, Ph.D., Postharvest Physiology, University of
California, Davis
- Robert Stovicek, Ph.D., Crop Science/Environmental
Toxicology, Primus Group, Inc.
- Thomas Hankinson, Ph.D., Microbiology, EPL-Pure Produce,
Inc.
- Trevor Suslow, Ph.D., Postharvest Extension Specialist,
University of California, Davis
- Larry Beuchet, Ph.D., Food Microbiologist, University of
Georgia
- Joseph Montecalvo, Jr., Ph.D., Food Science-Chlorine
Alternative, CalPoly, SLO
- Kirk Johnson, Ph.D., Misionero Vegetables
- Wilfredo Ocasio, National Food Laboratories
- Linda D. Manzo, Quality Assurance Manager, River Ranch Fresh
Foods
- Abraham J. Tenzer, Ph.D., Bonagra Technologies
- Donna Garren, Ph.D., Boskovich Farms
- Les Lipschultz, Grimmway Farms
- H. Walt Armijo, Primus Group, Inc.
- Art Davis, Ph.D., The Sholl Group
- Will Summer, Scientific Certification Systems
Lastly, a special thanks is extended for the involvement of
the regulatory community with whom the Food Safety Initiative worked closely in developing
these voluntary guidelines. These valuable contributors are:
- Mary Acton, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, San
Francisco, CA
- Al Davis, Arizona Department of Agriculture
- Jeff Farrar, D.V.M., M.P.H., Food and Drug Branch,
California Department of Health Services
- Eric Foreman, U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Peter Kurtz, Ph.D., California Department of Food and
Agriculture
- Ray Nelson, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Los Angeles, CA
- Bob Wynn, California Department of Food and Agriculture
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