Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables has increased in the U.S. in recent years, but this has also been accompanied by an increase in produce-associated foodborne disease outbreaks. Produce has been associated with people getting sick and even dying from Salmonella, Listeria and E. Coli. Since many types of produce are not cooked before eating, it is essential that produce growers and all those handling produce along the chain to the consumer use the safest practices possible to ensure the safety of their produce.
In response to this growing number of produce-related food safety outbreaks, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in 2011, with a goal of preventing contamination in the U.S. food supply instead of responding to contamination issues. Produce safety is one of the key focus areas of FSMA, with the final produce safety rules released in November 2015.
Food Safety Specialist Londa Nwadike works jointly for University of Missouri Extension and K-State Extension to provide information and resources for produce growers in Kansas and Missouri. The goal is to improve the safety of the fruits and vegetables they grow, as well as to meet the requirements of FSMA and third-party audits such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs).
Free microbial water testing
KSU and MU Extension offer free microbial water testing to KS and MO produce growers through generous grant funding. More information on free testing can be found at K-State Extension Food Safety: Microbial Water Testing
Produce safety materials
- Produce Safety Toolkit - For more in-depth information and resources, visit the K-State On-Farm Produce Safety website
- New tool from MO Dept of Ag - FSMA Record Keeping Guide for Produce Growers (PDF)
- GAPS certification/FSMA Produce Safety rule comparison (PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions About Handling Flooded Produce (PDF)
- Food Safety Modernization Act – Key Points for Produce Growers - March 2017 (PDF)
Sanitation videos
Handwash Station
Sanitizer Basics
Importance of Proper Cleaning and Sanitizing
How to Clean and Sanitize Packing Areas & Harvest Equipment
This website and its contents were made possible by grant number 1U18FD006145-01 from FDA. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the FDA.