CCD-PFS-4: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water, Part 2

Bryan Brady, Badrinath Vengari Jagannathan, Mari Schroeder, Paul Vijayakumar | Jan. 29, 2019 (New)

Although the compliance dates for the Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water have been extended, growers are encouraged to start familiarizing themselves with the process of water sampling. In continuation to Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water, Introduction that discussed the different types of water sources, how to calculate a water sample and a brief overview of how to properly take a sample, this paper will explain in detail how and where to take water samples for testing. In addition, it will also provide details on how to read and understand the results of your water test and how to build a water profile. Finally, it will include a list and map with the locations of all labs with approved methods to make compliance as simple as possible.

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CCD-PFS-2: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA): Produce Safety Rule Agricultural Water, Introduction

Bryan Brady, Badrinath Vengari Jagannathan, Paul Vijayakumar | Jun. 6, 2018 (New)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011 with the goal of preventing food safety problems. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) is the first mandatory federal standard for fruit and vegetable production in the United States. Prior to FSMA, growers, packers, and the produce industry were encouraged to follow voluntary guidance such as the FDA's 1998 "Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazard for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables." The FDA has very detailed guidelines for handling produce when it might touch water or a surface that is wet. Water in this situation would be called agricultural water. There are two kinds of agricultural water: water used to grow and care for the plants (production water) and water used to wash the produce during harvest and after it is state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

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CCD-PFS-1: Produce Food Safety: Packing and Storing

Paul Vijayakumar | Nov. 6, 2017 (New)

: If you intend to sell your produce, you'll need to package it. Some growers immediately assume that they'll need a large, complicated packing shed with state-of-the art technology. Typically this is not the case, and for some situations you might not need a packing facility at all. Before we go into some of the best practices for managing a packing shed, you should first consider whether you need one at all. Many of the practices discussed in this publication will depend on the requirements of your buyer. The first step before making upgrades to your food safety infrastructure is to talk to your buyer--ask them how they expect products packaged, box sizes, and whether they
expect the product to be washed. Do they currently expect a third-party Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) audit? Do they anticipate requiring one in the near future? As long as you are meeting all regulatory requirements and taking common sense steps to keep your produce safe, there is no need to exceed the expectations of your buyer. In the case of Farmers Markets and CSAs, the expectations for washing can be highly
variable.