FDA Seeks Comments About Safety Standards for Fresh Produce

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a plan to address preventive controls aimed at reducing the risk of microbial contamination of fresh produce at farms and packing houses. The agency seeks information and public input so that it can develop safety standards and cooperative strategies to ensure compliance.

FDA is requesting comments on topics including (i) standards for domestic and foreign growers and packers; (ii) identification and prioritization of risk factors; (iii) environmental hazard assessments and “possible pathways of contamination”; (iv) methods to tailor preventive controls to particular hazards and conditions affecting an operation and to the scale of the operation; (v) microbial testing;
(vi) post-harvest operations; and (vii) records and other documentation that would be useful to industry and regulators in ensuring the safety of fresh produce. Comments must be submitted by May 24, 2010. See Federal Register, February 23, 2010.