Latest News From Food safety

Auditing Operations Services is now accredited by the American National Standards Institute to certify foreign suppliers of food into the United States under the FDA’s Accredited Third Party Certification Program.

Let’s face it, Bill Marler has made a lot of money telling a story in which young children are the victims, lettuce farmers are the villains and he plays the hero.

The loss of confidence in romaine lettuce after multiple food safety recalls encouraged baby leaf and head lettuce greenhouse grower Revol Greens, Owatonna, Minn., to add a chopped romaine program.

Most consumers are much more worried about food safety in meat products than they are concerned about fruit and vegetable safety.

The Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is making available a web seminar about farmworker vaccinations.

The Food and Drug Administration’s multi-year study to enhance produce safety is taking the long view.

Two fresh produce organizations put their money where their mouth is and contributed to the Center for Produce Safety at the highest level.

The Food and Drug Administration’s proposed rule on additional traceability requirements for certain foods is more complicated and expensive than it should be.

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s new produce safety website has launched to help professionals abide by the Food Safety Modernization Act, including the Produce Safety Rule.

“The Public Health Impact of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ List” is now available at safefruitsandveggies.com. 

Registration is open for the 2021 Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium.

The support, confidence and leadership of farmers, shippers, packers and processors is at the core of the LGMA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service is updating the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices and GAP Plus+ audit checklists. 

With the deadline to submit public comments looming, there is much to be commended in the Food and Drug Administration’s 199-page proposed Food Traceability rule (FSMA 204).

The FDA held a series of three virtual one-day public meetings at the end of 2020 to discuss the recently released food traceability proposed rule.

The Produce Marketing Association submitted comments on the proposed U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule ‘Requirements for Additional Traceability Records for Certain Foods’.

The saying goes that “you can’t test your way to food safety,” but the FDA thinks testing romaine samples for pathogens might help it solve the riddle of what causes E. coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens.

Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling two lot codes of Dole™ Sunflower Crunch Chopped Salad Kit.

Shenandoah Growers, Harrisonburg, Va., has issued a limited, voluntary recall of about 3,240 units of branded fresh-cut, packaged organic basil clamshells due to a possible health risk from cyclospora.

HPNow’s patented HPGen solution for the on-site generation of hydrogen peroxide has received the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” Label, according to a news release.

The United Fresh Produce Association has set March 10 as the date for the first annual virtual harmonized standard update meeting, according to a news release.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is launching an assignment to collect romaine lettuce samples from commercial coolers in the Yuma County, Arizona growing region during the current harvest season.

While political and economic reverberations of the pandemic will rattle the globe for decades to come, how successfully humanity comes out of this pandemic will affect not just health of populations and economies.

State and federal public health are collecting data to identify the food source of a multistate outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Feb. 2.

A free web seminar on supply chain transparency is set for Feb. 23 by solutions provider Dapicon Inc.

The pandemic has changed business practices for many of our industry’s companies, but one thing that it cannot change is the fresh produce industry’s commitment to food safety.

The dates are set for the annual Center for Produce Safety Research Symposium.

Monterey, Calif.-based Dole Fresh Vegetables, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a single lot code of Dole Endless Summer Salad Kit.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) today launches its all-new GFSI Podcast Series.

Get a quick rundown of the produce industry news of the week from editor-in-chief Tom Karst, news editor Chris Koger, Northeast editor Amy Sowder and retail editor Ashley Nickle in this latest episode of Packer Insight.

The California LGMA and the Produce Marketing Association have responded to the Food and Drug Administration's update on a fall 2020 E. coli outbreak linked to leafy greens.

The FDA has concluded an investigation into a fall 2020 E. coli outbreak linked to leafy greens.

Carson, Calif.-based nanobubble technology company Moleaer, in partnership with researchers from Virginia Tech, have found oxygen-filled nanobubbles are successful in disrupting microbial biofilms.

What is one thing that could make the produce supply safer?

A six-week online workshop on cleaning and sanitizing relating to the produce safety rule will be offered from Jan. 26 to March 2.

The 10-year old Food Safety Modernization Act is aging nicely, most industry leaders think.

With all eyes on the new administration’s priorities, and likely investments into combatting COVID-19 and the climate crisis, what science and technology trends that affect fresh produce will come to the forefront?

The exit of President Donald Trump from the White House and the beginning of a new administration isn’t expected to have any immediate ramifications for produce safety policies at the Food and Drug Administration.

The grower whose butternut squash has been involved in recalls of fresh-cut products because of listeria concerns is working with the Food and Drug Administration to find the source.

For more than two decades, the so-called “dirty dozen” list has spread inaccurate safety fears about the most popular and healthy fruits and vegetables.

Making a difference is the ultimate goal of any food safety procedure or practice.

Lancaster Foods LLC, Jessup, Md., has recalled a dozen fresh-cut butternut products, citing potential Listeria Monocytogenes contamination.

PSSI, the industry’s leading food safety, and contract sanitation provider, announced their chemical division, PSSI Chemical Innovations, has earned its SQF Quality Certification for its third year in a row. 

How do you quantify the advantages and disadvantages of increased traceability regulations for fresh produce (and other food)?

Pero Family Farms Food Co. LLC, Delray Beach, Fla., has recalled multiple butternut squash products due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The Woodland, Calif.-based Center for Produce Safety has launched a capital campaign to raise $15 million in five years for food safety research.

Indoor grower BrightFarms, Irvington, N.Y., has promoted Jackie Hawkins to director of food safety and quality.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the USDA Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Assistance Program to remain available to eligible producers until all allocated funds are depleted.

Markon Cooperative, Salinas, Calif., has hired Kate Burr as food safety director.

The United Fresh Produce Association has chosen the second class for its year-long Produce Safety Immersion Program.