Fresh Produce Food Safety: Good Agricultural Practices

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Fresh Produce Food SafetyGood Agricultural
Practices

• Robert C. Williams, Ph.D.
• Associate Professor, Food Microbiology
• Food Science and Technology
• Virginia Tech

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What is the GAPs Program?

• Good agricultural practices (GAPs) encompasses
  the general procedures growers, packers and
  processors of fresh fruits and vegetables should
  follow to ensure the safety of their product.
• Nomenclature
• Some use GAPs as a comprehensive term
• For others, GAPs means pre-harvest practices
  while Good Handling Practices (GHPs) means
  post-harvest practices.

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Fresh Produce Safety Situation

• Since the early 1990s, fresh produce has been
  increasingly recognized as a source of foodborne
  illness
• CSPI Report (12/2008)
• Fresh produce related illnesses (1990 2006)
• 768 outbreaks
• 35,060 confirmed cases
• Actual of cases may be far higher!

Sickened by Fresh Produce (editorial) NY
Times It is outrageous that fresh vegetables,
typically deemed a vital component of a healthy
diet, have become a menacebecause of
contamination in their handling
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Fresh Produce Food Safety Burden

• Fresh produce outbreaks as of total outbreaks
• Less than 1 in 1970s
• More than 6 in 1990s
• 13 of outbreaks that have been linked to
  specific foods
• Trends
• Increased consumption of fresh produce
• Year round fresh produce
• Longer transport distances
• More cutting and coring performed in the field
• Produce fields next to animal production
• Wild animals, farm animals, and produce are
  closer together

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Harmful Microorganisms of Concern in Fresh
Produce
Viruses
Bacteria

• Hepatitis A virus
• Norwalk-like virus

• Salmonella species
• E. coli O157H7
• Shigella species
• Bacillus cereus
• Listeria monocytogenes
• Vibrio cholera

Parasites

• Cyclospora
• Cryptosporidium
• Giardia

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Source Lynch, M.F., R.V. Tauxe, and C.W.
Hedberg. 2009. The growing burden of foodborne
outbreaks due to contaminated fresh produce
risks and opportunities. Epidemiol. Infect.
137307315.
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Produce-Pathogen Combinations in Outbreaks Caused
by Produce. 1990-2006
Source CSPI. 2008. Outbreak Alert! 2008
Closing the Gaps in Our Federal Food Safety Net.
10th ed. Center for Science in the Public
Interest. December.
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Outbreaks Associated with Produce
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Fruit and Vegetable Outbreaksby Origin of
Produce 1990 - 1998
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I can always wash the produce before I eat it or
sell it

• Studies in strawberries and apples indicate that
  once the fruit is contaminated, the pathogens are
  difficult to remove
• Prevent contamination
• Control multiplication

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PREVENTION is the Key to Reducing Microbial
Contamination of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
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Good Agricultural Practices

• Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazards for Fresh
  Fruits and Vegetables- FDA, 1998
• Food Safety Begins on the Farm
• Developed by Cornell University
• Collaborators across the United States including
  VT

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GAPs/GHPs Areas of Focus

• Pre-Planting
• Site selection
• Water sources available
• Livestock or wildlife nearby
• Manure Use and Handling
• Raw manure vs. compost
• Animal Exclusion
• Domestic and wild animals

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Water Management

• Clean water quality is most important when in
  direct contact with edible portion of crop near
  or at the time of harvest
• Water application methods
• Drip has a lower risk than overhead irrigation
• Chlorinate dump tanks and wash water

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Wash Water

• Use potable water for all produce washing,
  cooling, dipping, icing, and processing.
• Vigorous washing of produce not subject to
  bruising may increase pathogen removal.
• Wash water with antimicrobial chemicals reduces
  but does not eliminate pathogens.
• Change water when soiled. Use multistep
  cleaning regime.

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Bacteria can enter the stem scar with improper
handling or wash water management
Fruit pulp must be less than 10oF warmer than
wash water temperature to prevent infiltration.
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Worker Hygiene is Important!
Fresh Produce Growers and Packers ARE Food
Handlers !!!
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Proper Facilities, Education, and Training,
Training, Training
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Harvest Sanitation
Clean and sanitize storage facilities prior to
harvest.
Clean and sanitize harvest bins daily.
Avoid standing in harvest bins.

• Clean and sanitize packing area, equipment, and
  floors daily.

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Growers Are Innovating Their Own On-Farm
Sanitation Routines
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Packing Sanitation

• Proper sorting and culling of produce
• Detectable Free Chlorine in Wash Waters
• Enforce Good Worker Hygiene
• Exclude all animals from Packing House,
  especially insects, birds and rodents
• Clean and Sanitize Equipment.

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If you did not RECORD IT,you did not do it.

• Record keeping allows you to keep track of
  farming operations and worker training.
• Record keeping documents your activities should
  this information ever be required.
• Use log sheets for daily activities.

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GAPs Certification

• Audits assessment of food safety program on
  annual basis
• Private companies
• Ex. Primus Labs
• Federal Government
• USDA
• State Government
• VDACS

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Why GAPs Certification?

• Not required by the law.yet
• Buyer-driven
• Produce buyers want food safety programs
• Grocery chains
• Distributors
• Your government!
• Improve marketability
• Producers can use GAPs for marketing