This article examines control strategies for Clostridium botulinum in fresh-cut produce and the line between good manufacturing practices (GMPs) and C. botulinum control in the food safety plan.
A University of Arkansas study provides insight into the food safety risks of microgreens production and discusses measures for mitigating microbiological contamination in indoor farming environments.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its new Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program, which will provide financial assistance to specialty crops producers who incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses while pursuing a food safety certification in calendar years 2022 or 2023.
Food companies that prepare fresh food items often source individual ingredients from primary suppliers. The food safety risk is typically controlled at primary supplier plants or farms; however, the food safety stakes are high. It is necessary to have "boots on the ground" to assess how food safety and quality programs are integrated with the front-line operation for those suppliers who mitigate food safety risk on the behalf of a receiving company.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published a new webpage with resources for farmers and producers of human and animal food whose crops are adversely affected by severe weather incidents.
Even under the best of circumstances, agriculture faces myriad pressures. Exacerbated by climate change, these pressures are making agriculture a more vulnerable and challenging enterprise, impacting food production, processing, storage, and distribution. In other words, our entire food system is threatened by climate change.