Food Safety

Why you should worry about clean breaks and lot sizes

When harvesting produce, it is important that all food contact surfaces are clean and sanitary, especially if that produce may be eaten raw. The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule includes requirements for... more »

Staff, headquarters growing at Hazel Technologies

Hazel Technologies is expanding its headquarters in Chicago in order to accommodate a growing staff. The USDA-supported company helps growers, packers, and shippers of produce extend the shelf-life of their fruits... more »

Perdue appoints new members to committee on food microbiology

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue has appointed 18 new members and 12 returning members to the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF). “The committee members represent a diverse group from academia,... more »

Perdue likes selection for USDA’s Under Secretary for Food Safety

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today applauded President Donald J. Trump’s selection of Dr. Mindy Brashears to be the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Under Secretary for Food Safety. After the announcement, Secretary Perdue... more »

New website addresses produce safety in California

A new website has been launched by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to help California farmers understand how to comply with new food safety regulations known as the Produce Safety Rule, which... more »

System detecting food pathogens quickly created by UGA scientist

Quick, efficient pathogen detection and fingerprinting is essential and often lifesaving when it comes to preventing foodborne illness. University of Georgia food scientist Xiangyu Deng has created a system that can identify foodborne pathogens much... more »

Food irradiation marketed to fresh produce market

Although not used widely throughout the processing industry, food irradiation technology has been around for more than 50 years as a way to kill pathogens. Mangoes travel on a conveyor belt... more »

Produce Safety Improvement Grants awarded in Vermont

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) awarded $74,000 to nine Vermont produce growers making on-farm improvements that prevent or reduce produce safety risks. Prompted by high demand, VAAFM’s Produce Program issued a... more »