Produce Food Safety Services
- According to the CDC,
foodborne illnesses associated with the consumption of fresh fruits
and produce account for approximately 12% of the reported foodborne
illnesses in the United States.
- The incidence rate for illnesses associated with the consumption of
fresh fruits and produce continues to increase, partially due to
improved surveillance measures and an increase in consumer consumption
of fruits and vegetables.
- According to recent published research – fresh produce has been
implicated as a vehicle in the transmission of foodborne
gastroenteritis, especially with
Salmonella and
E. coli.
Outbreaks have been associated in recent times with the consumption of
cantaloupes, watermelons, tomatoes, lettuce, celery, alfalfa sprouts,
parsley, unpasteurized orange juice, and other raw salad vegetables.
“Concentrations of E. coli and genetic diversity and
antibiotic resistance profiling of Salmonella isolated from irrigation
water, packing shed equipment, and fresh produce in Texas”
Duffy EA et al.
Journal of Food Protection, Vol 68, No. 1, 2005; 70-79
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Reasons for microbiological contamination of produce:
- Contact of untreated sewage water with surface runoff and
irrigation water in the fields
- Fecal contamination during post-harvest handling, shipping or
processing
- Poor employee health practices and poor sanitary facilities for
field employees
- Lack of wildlife monitoring and control
- Contamination of produce by knives, cutters and utensils
- Exposure to warm storage temperatures
EHA’s infectious disease epidemiologists have been successful in
investigating several, recent high-visibility foodborne outbreaks
associated with fruits and vegetables across the United States. From the
farm environment to the retail environment, our food safety experts can
assist in the improvement of sanitary conditions that make your
facilities a safer vicinity to grow, pack, process, transport and sell
fruit and produce items. Our team of HACCP specialists can assist you in
the creation of GAP’s, GMPS’s and SSOP’s to ensure the highest standards
in food safety and quality.
How Can EHA help you?
How does your operation benefit?
- Be better prepared for regulatory inspections.
- Reduce your risk due to product recalls, potential outbreaks and
lawsuits.
- Create a proactive food safety program that addresses potential
issues before they occur.
- Create a “state of the art” food safety program that allows you to
make sound business decisions based on “cutting edge” of science.
> More about
foodborne illnesses and diseases.
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