Edible Garden has partnered with government and academic institutions in two studies: one to study the food safety potential of nanobubble technology in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), and one to work towards identifying sources of fresh produce contamination and mitigation strategies.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a letter reminding developers and manufacturers of new plant varieties intending to transfer genes for proteins that are food allergens into new plant varieties used for food of the relevant legal requirements for such products.
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.