Draft Commodity Specific Guidance from FDA and others

2009 was a busy year for FDA, and 2010 looks to be another year of the same. In July, 2009, FDA issued three draft guidance documents for leafy greens, melons, and tomatoes that were open for public comment (within 90 days).

These draft guidance documents are intended to assist domestic firms and foreign firms exporting leafy greens, melons, and tomatoes into the United States (U.S.) by recommending practices to minimize the microbial food safety hazards of the products throughout the entire  supply chain.  Links are located below.

The newest of commodity-specific documents comes from the document was produced through a partnership of Western Growers, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association among other agencies and is based on work started in 2006 at the Food and Drug Administration, according to a new release.  The new document is “Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production, Harvest, Post-Harvest and Value-Added Operations of Green Onions”.

FDA Draft Commodity Specific Documents:

• Produce (Leafy Greens): Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Leafy Greens (July 2009)
• Produce (Melons): Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons (July 2009)
• Produce (Tomatoes): Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Tomatoes (July 2009)

Western Growers, Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association

• Green Onion Food Safety Guidance – February 2010
• Sprouts: Guidance for Industry: Sampling and Microbial Testing of Spent Irrigation Water during Sprout Production
• Click here for more of FDA guidance documents