Make a food safety complaintContact us

A focus on fresh produce safety

1 Mar 2015

Issue 36

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC) recently launched two landmark research projects aimed at increasing the safety of fresh produce in Australia and New Zealand. These projects are:

  • Understanding the Gaps – a Food Safety Literature Review
  • Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety
     

The Fresh Produce Safety Centre (FPSC) recently launched two landmark research projects aimed at increasing the safety of fresh produce in Australia and New Zealand.

Understanding the Gaps – a Food Safety Literature Review seeks to engage a research provider to review the contemporary literature surrounding microbial contamination of fresh produce and the interaction of sanitisers and fungicides when used postharvest. The results of the review will provide the fresh produce industry with information to improve food safety best practice and reduce the opportunity for foodborne illness.

The Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety project involves a review and update of the Guidelines for On-farm Food Safety for Fresh Produce. This will be done with a view to expanding the scope to include post-farm activities and to also contain the most up-to-date information available.

The Guidelines will be an essential resource for growers, packers, wholesalers, retailers, trainers, consultants, auditors, standard owners and regulators ensuring greater certainty and consistency in the development, implementation and auditing of fresh produce food safety programs.

Food safety associated with fresh produce is of growing significance at home and internationally. The Food Authority supports the FPSC research program which will deliver revised food safety guidance and risk management solutions for both small farmers and major grower and packaging operations.

The Understanding the Gaps report will be released mid-year, while the revised Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety will be launched in the third quarter of 2015.

The Food Authority supports the FPSC research program which will deliver revised food safety guidance and risk management solutions for both small farmers and major grower and packaging operations.

More information on the Guidelines project can be found at www. freshproducesafety-anz.com/ guidelines/ and further information on Understanding the Gaps can be found at www.freshproducesafety-anz.com/ understanding/.