New FDA Guidelines for Prepared Produce

March 2006

Worried about the spike in recent illnesses linked to fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new guidelines for those who come in contact with fresh produce.

Citing a difficulty to trace the source of food contamination that happens from bacteria in water, fertilizer, animals or work equipment, the guidelines focus mostly on employee hygiene.

The recommendations are voluntary but call on processors and supplies of fresh fruit and vegetables to use safer procedures including:

• Train supervisors to recognize symptoms of infectious disease in employees.
• Maintain a strict policy of proper employee hand washing and reporting any infectious disease before starting work.
• Clean forklifts and other equipment with sanitizer baths before coming in contact with fresh produce.
• Develop separate areas for raw and finished fresh-cut produce.

For information about food-borne illnesses, including a recent salmonella outbreak at Corky & Lenny's restaurant in Ohio, visit the Illness & Disease Legal Center.

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