A web seminar on new growing and handling best practices for Mexican papayas will answer questions from the industry about the document outlining the procedures.
Stakeholders developed the Best Practices for the Growing and Handling of Mexican Papaya following outbreaks of foodborne illness traced to the fruit. The document is also available in Spanish.
The web seminar is at 2 p.m. Eastern June 4. The Texas International Produce Association and United Fresh Produce Association, which were involved in developing the standards, will lead the seminar.
Dante Galeazzi, president and CEO of TIPA, and Emily Griep, food safety manager of United Fresh, will lead the seminar, are scheduled to speak. The seminar will discuss how the industry plans to make the guide an on-going effort that includes an education and research component, and how the industry can adopt the new measures, according to a news release.
“We’ve received incredible feedback from retail and foodservice companies, particularly during the development of the best practices document,” Galeazzi said in the release. “During this webinar, we expect more questions from all the various buyer entities in North America. As an industry, we want those further up the supply chain to not only embrace but to promote this effort and encourage their suppliers of Mexican papayas to participate in this guidance.”
Related stories:
U.S., Mexican papaya stakeholders complete food safety guide
FDA: Continued papaya outbreaks ‘unacceptable’
