| June 15, 2000 |
SAFER PROCESSING OF SPROUTS
A Food Safety Training Program Developed by the California Department of Health Services, Food and Drug Branch and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is now available. The video was developed to assist the industry in producing a safer product. Topics covered by the video include:
To order a copy of the training program, contact Circle Solutions, 2070 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 450, Vienna, Virginia, 22182 or call (703) 902-1300.
PRODUCE SURVEY
More data on the incidence and extent of pathogen contamination for selected fresh domestic and imported produce to assist in the development of additional policy is needed. On May 10, 2000 CFSAN issued the Domestic Produce Sampling Assignment. The assignment is a survey of eight domestically produced fresh fruits and vegetables for the presence of Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli, and E. coli 0157:H7. One hundred twenty five samples of each of loose-leaf lettuce, cantaloupe, celery, strawberries, scallions/green onions, parsley, cilantro, and tomatoes will be collected at packing houses from May 2000 to May 2001. These products were selected for inclusion in the survey based on the risk factors such as epidemiological outbreak data, structural characteristics, growing conditions, processing and consumption.
FDA will review and evaluate the data collected from the survey and from other sources to determine the extent of pathogen contamination in produce consumed in the United States and to help the agency focus research and educational efforts toward lessening the risk of
foodborne disease. Summary results of the survey will be available after completion of the assignment.
Last November, FDA issued the Imported Produce Assignment to gather data on the incidence and extent of pathogen contamination for imported produce. The same products being collected as part of the Domestic Produce Survey were collected as part of the Imported Produce Assignment. The survey is nearly complete and a summary of the results will be made available later this year.
To obtain more information about the FDA Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce, visit the CFSAN web site at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsur2.html.
Information about the Imported Produce Assignment, issued in November 1999, can be obtained by visiting our web site at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsurv.html.
PRODUCE FARM INVESTIGATION COURSE
In May, FDA presented the Produce Farm Investigations Course. The course, developed in consultation with State Departments of Agriculture and Health, the University of California at Davis, and the produce industry, focused on the farm as part of a complete investigation into the causes for contaminated produce leading to a foodborne outbreak. Course participants included representatives of FDA, California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Mexico and Canada.
The course consisted of two days of classroom lectures and two days spent in fields, on farms and at packing houses. The on-site observations of growing and harvesting fruits and vegetables were critical to the learning process.
Based on this course's success, the United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association and several private consultants have asked FDA to assist them in planning additional training courses and workshops as part of educational efforts aimed at training stakeholders about on farm investigations.
|
Food Safety Initiative Staff E-mail: chammett@cfsan.fda.gov |
Office Number: (202) 260-8920 · FAX (202) 260-9653 CFSAN Web site: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/ |