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There is a growing trend of pathogenic outbreaks being traced to processed fruits, leading to industry players implementing more diligent control processes. This article discusses methodologies and regulations around fruit washing and sanitizing.

The questions about the safety of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) are complicated. This article outlines why CEA safety depends on understanding and properly addressing the challenges of combining agricultural and ready-to-eat (RTE) into a single facility. It also addresses why CEA is not inherently safe. Ultimately, this article will show how the risk profile of CEA must be compared to that of other RTE produce and that there is no universal answer to the question of CEA safety.

The University of Vermont Extension’s Northeast Center to Advance food Safety (UVM’s NECAFS) has released a series of factsheets on produce safety in hydroponic and aquaponic operations for educators, regulators, and producers. The new factsheets guide readers through produce safety considerations specific to hydroponic and aquaponic operations.

In an effort to fulfill its strategic commitment to providing food safety expertise and business solutions for industry, the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA’s) Produce Safety Immersion Program recently welcomed its fourth cohort from a variety of IFPA member companies.

The Center for Produce Safety has provided insight into an ongoing study funded by the center that is examining the efficacy of superheated steam, also known as “dry steam,” as a sanitization method for dry food production environments. The researchers are looking for industry respondents to fill out a survey on the financial realities of this technology.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has announced that it is accepting applications from eligible organizations seeking funding through the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (TASC) for fiscal year 2024.

To make educational materials more relevant to fruit and vegetable growers and packers, the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) and personnel from the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety (NECAFS) at the University of Vermont would like to understand the costs of and the barriers to beginning or expanding food safety practices on farms and in packinghouses. The groups have developed a survey to collect food safety information from fruit and vegetable growers across the U.S.  

International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer, Jennifer McEntire, Ph.D., will step down from her role with the association on May 5, 2023.   

Recent flooding in California included many ranches in the Salinas Valley, which grow leafy greens and other crops. Floodwaters have the potential to contain various pathogens that can directly cross-contaminate future product grown in those fields, as well as nearby fields. Bringing land back into production is an area of great concern.

Ongoing research funded by the Center for Produce Safety aims to evaluate the efficacy of commercially available sanitizers against common foodborne pathogens and biofilms encountered during tree fruit harvesting, and then conduct a validation study of the best-performing treatments at commercial facilities.