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The food industry and regulatory agencies have both been reluctant to suggest that consumers bear some responsibility for the safe handling of foods.

The proposed Produce Safety Rule takes an integrated and common-sense approach focusing on common actions effective in achieving safe produce.

Raw meat and poultry products sold direct-to-consumer may carry higher concentrations of harmful bacteria compared with those produced commercially.

Although the farmers and market managers used many good practices, some practices being used may put consumers at risk for foodborne illness.

Diagnostic assays for on-farm use have different constraints compared with those used in traditional laboratory environment  

The produce industry came together to reduce the audit burden that it had enabled by accepting and supporting a wide variety of food safety audit standards.  

Continuous research and education are important components of Chiquita’s overall food safety program.  

Good Agricultural Practices comprise a prerequisite program that can be used to manage food safety risks in the field and during transport to packing environments.

If the food safety standards and audit checklists are harmonized across the different audit groups, that should make it easier for customers to compare, and accept, audit results.  

Edith Garrett, a fresh produce industry insider, discusses the challenges facing the produce industry.