FDA Proposes New Food Safety Standards

Attached is an FDA press release and proposed rule summary to establish standards  for growing, harvesting, packing and holding produce on farms to mitigate food safety risks.

California Citrus Food Safety Documents:

• Food Safety Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for California Citrus Growers – Guidance
• Food Safety Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for California Citrus Harvesters – Guidance
• Citrus Grower Written Food Safety Plan
• Citrus Harvester Written Food Safety Plan

The Food Safety GAP documents are the latest documents to describe recommended good agricultural practices for citrus growers.  There are two documents for growers to use and two documents for harvest contractors.  This is the latest available information for California citrus growers and it is likely the documents will be updated in the future to reflect pending regulations from the FDA.

In the mean time, these documents represent the best recommendations for growers and harvest contractors who want to initiate efforts to reduce food safety risks as part of citrus production and harvesting.  Please contact CCQC if you have any questions about the documents or their intended function.

Sources for Food Safety & Security Information:

•  FOOD SAFETY BEGINS ON THE FARM: A Grower’s Guide – Excellent background material on grower food safety and a highly recommended document for growers looking for an easy to understand introduction to risk reduction measures on the farm. Available in English or Spanish.  (GAPs Flyer)
  
• DID YOU KNOW? IN THE FIELD, THERE IS A NEED FOR HYGIENE TOO! – Easy to understand document on the importance of good hygiene in agricultural production.
• http://www.fightbac.org – Partnership for Food Safety Education
• http://www.foodsafety.gov – Gateway to U.S. government information on food safety.
• http://jifsan.umd.edu/training/gaps_manual.php – U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Manual of “Improving the Safety and Quality of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables.”
• http://www.ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu – University of California’s food safety information.
• http://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/UC_Publications/UC_Good_Agricultural_Practices_GAP/ – University of California’s Good Agricultural Practices.
• http://cps.ucdavis.edu/ – Center for Produce Safety, University of California at Davis
• http://wifss.ucdavis.edu – Western Institute for Food Safety and Security (WIFSS).
• http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/default.htm – FDA’s Food Security Guidance documents
• http://www.globalgap.org/ – GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe.