Good Agricultural Practices for Food Safety of Fresh Produce

What are the guiding principles of food safety for fresh produce? • Once contaminated, removing or killing pathogens on produce is very difficult. • Preventing microbial contamination at all steps, from production to distribution, is strongly favored over treatments to eliminate contamination that may have occurred. • Document the implementation of prevention programs, and educate workers at all levels of the agricultural and packing environments on food safety. Key Signatures of a Credible Food Safety Program The following is a condensed checklist of practices and conditions that reduce the potential for fresh produce to be exposed to pathogenic microbes. Review your farm practices and identify those areas where you can take actions that will increase the safety of the food you produce. Then, develop a written plan of appropriate good agricultural practices for your farm.