Apple Cider Food Safety Workshop

FDA’s Good Agricultural Practices

Dr. Michelle A. Smith

July 15, 1999

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh

Fruits and Vegetables

(The Guide)

The Guide

• Broadscope - practices common to the growing and packing of most fresh produce

• Guidance only - no new requirements

• Risk reduction, not elimination

Fresh Produce

Scope:

• Fruits and vegetables likely to be sold in an unprocessed or minimally processed (raw) form

• Likely to be consumed without a microbiologically lethal treatment

• Maybe intact or cut during harvest

• Includes “fresh-cut” and other specialty products

Use Of The Guide

• Increase awareness of common microbial hazards for fresh produce

• Useful when practices recommended to minimize hazards are adapted to specific operations- Assess individual operations

- Institute appropriate cost effective practices

Table of Contents

• Water

• Manure and Municipal Biosolids

• Worker Health and Hygiene

• Sanitary Facilities

• Field/Packing Facility Sanitation

• Transportation

• Traceback

Water

• Water quality dictates the potential for contamination

– May be a direct source of contamination or

– May spread pathogens in the field or packinghouse

• Surviving pathogens on produce may cause illness

Water Quality

Needs vary with how and when water is used

• Degree of contact• Time until harvest• Crop characteristics

Processing Water

• “Safe and Sanitary” meets microbiological standards for drinking water

• If water is recycled, follow GMPs to maintain water quality

• Water use should not contribute to food safety concerns

Consider Antimicrobials

Useful in processing water for

• Reducing pathogens on the surface of produce and

• Reducing build-up of pathogens in processing water

Manure and Biosolids

• Beneficial fertilizer and soil amendment

• Significant potential source of human pathogens

– E. coli O157:H7

– Salmonella– Cryptosporidium

Manure and Biosolids

Growers should follow GAPs for handling animal manure or biosolids to minimize microbial hazards

Manure

GAPs to minimize microbial hazards

• Treatments to reduce pathogens

• Maximize time between application and harvest

Personal Health and Hygiene

• Establish a worker training program– Teach basic sanitation and hygiene – Follow-up sessions may be needed

• Become familiar with disease signs and symptoms

• Provide protection from lesions

Field Sanitation

• Keep harvest and packing equipment as clean as practicable

• Keep harvest containers clean

• Assign responsibility for equipment to person in charge

Packing Facility Sanitation

• Keep equipment as clean as practicable

• Clean packing areas at end of each day

• Maintain cooling system in working order

• Clean product storage areas regularly

Pest Control

• Establish a pest control system

• Maintain the grounds in good condition

• Monitor and maintain facilities regularly

• Block access of pests into facility

• Use a pest control log

Accountability

• Once GAPs and GMPs are in place, ensure the process is working

• Comprehensive and coordinated effort throughout production and distribution

• Assign responsibility for specific tasks

• Follow-up on the process

Traceback

The ability to identify the source of a product

• Cannot prevent initial outbreak

• Important compliment to GAPs and GMPs

• Limit economic and public health impact

• Information may help identify/eliminate hazards

For more information

http://www.fda.gov

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov