Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the Safety of Flood-affected Food Crops for Human Consumption | Guideline Explorer

Description

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to growers on how to evaluate the safety of flood-affected food crops for human consumption. This guidance applies to all food crops. Specifically, this document provides guidance on:

Scope & Applicability

Product Classes

3

Leafy Greens

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Leafy Greens; Evaluating irrigation methods for their potential to introduce human pathogens on leafy greens.; Subject of the safety evaluation and handling procedures

Lettuce and Leafy Greens

Subject of commodity specific food safety guidelines

Raw Agricultural Commodity

Sprouts in their raw or natural state

Stakeholders

3

Operator

Person whose actions may cause a product to be deemed adulterated

Field workers

Personnel involved in harvesting and handling

Fresh-cut processors

Entities subject to CGMP regulations for leafy greens

Regulatory Context

Attributes

2

Ready-to-eat

Product status indicating no need for further washing

Microbial quality

Testing the water source regularly to ensure that it is of appropriate microbial quality.

Identified Hazards

Hazards

5

Microbial Food Safety Hazards

The primary concern addressed by the guide.; The guide focuses on minimizing microbial food safety hazards.; Risks associated with pathogens in produce water; minimized by washing fresh produce; minimize microbial hazards for fresh fruits and vegetables; The primary risk the guidance aims to minimize in fresh fruits and vegetables.; Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards

Cross-Contamination

automated liquid handling systems can pose a risk of contamination within or between test runs

Microbial food safety

Risk factors in fresh and fresh-cut produce

Flooding

Flooding may contaminate crops that are in close proximity to soil.

Human pathogens

Microbial risks such as cross-contamination in wash water

Related CFR Sections (1)

21CFR10.115§ 10.115 Good guidance practices.
(a) What are good guidance practices? Good guidance practices (GGP's) are FDA's policies and procedures for developing, issuing, and using guidance documents.Read full regulation →

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