Effective Ways to Minimize Pathogen Risks in Produce

Contamination poses a significant challenge in the cultivation and sale of fruits and vegetables. Despite the concerted efforts of retailers and growers to safeguard produce, threats are ever-present, necessitating a persistent commitment to proper safety measures, experts emphasize.

Robert Gravani, professor emeritus of food science at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., states, “Scientific knowledge about produce safety is greatly improving through basic and applied research, with the industry implementing numerous practices and procedures to reduce risks during planting, harvesting, packaging, shipping, and merchandising.”

However, many fruits and vegetables are grown in non-sterile environments, which means suppliers must contend with pathogens such as various serotypes of salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, shigella, listeria, viruses, and parasites like cyclospora.

To minimize contamination risks, implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) is essential in fruit and vegetable production, along with maintaining hygienic practices throughout the supply chain. Gravani highlights strategies addressing contamination from agricultural water and soil, as well as concerns related to domestic and wild animals, harvesting tools, sanitary facilities, packing, and transportation. He asserts that “food safety begins on the farm.”

It’s crucial for retailers to understand the GAPs their suppliers should adhere to, stay updated on regulatory safety measures, and monitor emerging scientific research from professional organizations. Using this information, retailers can continuously evaluate and enhance their produce safety programs.

Effective communication and collaboration with suppliers are also critical for establishing clear safety roles and responsibilities. This includes ensuring suppliers implement written produce safety programs and complete GAPs training. Gravani advises, “The parties should agree on all product requirements and specifications in advance, and a competent third party should assess compliance through on-site audits.” Compliant produce suppliers can then be included on the retail buyers’ approved supplier lists.

Furthermore, retailers must implement, monitor, and verify best practices within their stores. This includes employee training, inspections of incoming products and delivery vehicles, temperature monitoring, proper storage of produce before display, and the cleaning and sanitization of produce prep areas. Evaluating produce displays and salad bars is also essential.

Gravani concludes, “Farmers and growers, shippers, retail store personnel, and produce consumers need to be vigilant and adhere to all food safety practices and procedures to minimize risks.”