Portland Public Schools Food Services

Portland Public Schools Food Services

Addressing Farm Food Safety in the Procurement of Local Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

This is a guide for food service personnel who wish to connect directly with local farms for produce purchases. It is meant to be a data gathering tool to asses a farms ability to provide safe produce. This is not a substitute for an on-site visit.

Farm Food Safety Discussion

All fresh produce purchases carry an element of health risk that farmers can help minimize though a comprehensive farm food safety plan. When purchasing directly from local farmers it is important to ensure that such food safety plans are successfully being implemented. This document is meant to assist school food service personnel when talking with a farm about their food safety practices.

Also included is the “PPS Farm Food Safety Checklist Requirements.” Farms are qualified to sell directly to Portland Public Schools when successfully completing the checklist during an on-site visit to the farm.

“How do you address food safety on your farm?”

“The major source of microbial contamination with fresh produce is associated with human or animal feces.”

FDA: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Key Areas

·  Water

·  Soil

·  Livestock/Wildlife

·  Worker Health and Hygiene

·  Facilities

·  Equipment

·  Pest Control

·  Packing

·  Transportation

·  Traceability and Records

I.  Water

“Whenever water comes in contact with produce its source and quality dictates the potential for contamination.” -FDA

·  “Are practices in place so that water used for field irrigation is not contaminating produce?”

·  “Is the water used for produce washing microbially safe?”

·  “Do you have a water quality assessment performed yearly?”

—A farm’s water quality must be appropriate for its intended use, both at the start and at the end of all post-harvest processes. All sources of water used on a farm should be examined, tested and protected.

II.  Soil

“Growers should follow good agricultural practices for handling animal manure or biosolids to minimize microbial hazards” –FDA

·  “Is raw manure incorporated into the soil 120 days prior to harvest for crops whose edible portions have direct contact with the soil, or 90 days prior to harvest for all other crops for human consumption?”

·  “Is there anything indicative in the land use history to warrant a land use risk assessment?”

—Good agricultural practices for the use of animal manure or biosolids include treatment to reduce pathogens and maximizing the time between field application and harvest of the crops.

When previous land use history indicates a possibility of contamination, preventative measures should be taken to mitigate the known risks, soils tested for contaminants and the land use is commensurate with test results.

III.  Livestock/Wildlife

“Animal feces are a known source of pathogens that can cause foodborne illness.” –FDA

·  “What kinds of wildlife pests do you have and how do you control them?”

—While it is not possible to completely exclude all animal life from all fresh produce production areas, elements can be incorporated to protect crops from animal damage. These may include natural or physical barriers or even a shot gun. Crops with obvious indication of livestock or wildlife contamination should not be processed or sold.

IV.  Worker Health and Hygiene

“Train all employees to follow good hygienic practices” –FDA

·  “Do you cover the following subject areas with all of your employees? Good personal hygiene, proper hand washing, how to tend wounds and not working with produce when feeling ill.”

·  “Do you have a posted sign to remind all your employees to wash their hands?”

—Ideally a worker food safety training program is in place for new employees as well as reinforced with existing ones. They must also be instructed and reminded to wash their hands after using toilet facilities and before handling produce.

V.  Facilities

“Review existing practices and conditions to identify potential sources of contamination” –FDA

·  Is manure and compost stored safely away from production fields or contained to prevent runoff or inadvertent contamination from farm traffic?

·  Do the toilet facilities provide potable water with soap and single use towels as well as being regularly serviced?

·  Is your septic/sewer system up to local and state codes?

·  Are the product processing and storage areas easily kept clean?

·  Is all cooling equipment maintained and kept clean?

—Areas on the farm that can be a source of microbial contamination should be identified and preventative measures taken.

VI.  Pest Control

·  Are measures being taken to control pests such as rodents and flies?

—Adequate measures to control pests include good housekeeping inside and out as well as blocked access of pests into enclosed facilities and the use of traps to monitor population.

VII.  Equipment

·  Is harvesting equipment/tools/machinery that comes into contact with produce kept as clean as practicable?

·  Are clean, food grade containers or bins used to transport fresh produce and stored away from potential contaminants?

·  Are food contact surfaces in the packroom in good condition and cleaned prior to use?

—Harvesting equipment should be in good repair and damaged containers either properly repaired or disposed of. Any equipment used to haul garbage or manure should not be used to transport fresh produce.

VIII.  Packing

·  Is dirt removed from the product before packing?

·  Are food grade packaging materials clean and stored in an area protected from contaminants?

—The packing of fresh produce is an important step in maintaining quality during storage and transport. Excessive soil should be washed off prior to packing since most microbial contamination exists on the surface of fruits and vegetables.

IX.  Transportation

“An active and ongoing discussion with personnel responsible for transportation is essential for ensuring the success of any management program designed to deliver safe foods to the consumer.” -FDA

·  Is the transportation vehicle clean?

·  Are measures taken to ensure that produce is not damaged in transit?

·  Are proper temperatures maintained to ensure quality and safety?

—Transport vehicles should be free of obvious dirt or debris and produce located separately from other food and nonfood items to prevent possible contamination. Any damaged produce should be rejected upon arrival as well as produce that does not meet temperature requirements.

X.  Traceability and Records

“The ability to identify the sources of a product can serve as an important complement to good agricultural and management practices intended to minimize liability and prevent the occurrence of food safety problems.” –FDA

·  If pesticides/herbicides are applied, are they done so by a trained individual and such applications recorded?

·  Are all harvested crops, the date they were harvested, precise location and amount recorded?

—It cannot be emphasized enough that a good relationship with the individual on the farm that is responsible for food safety will help ensure that regular monitoring takes place, equipment is working and good agricultural and management practices are being followed on a consistent basis.

Sources:

Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. October 26, 1998.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/ProduceandPlanProducts/ucm064574.htm

USDA Good Agricultural Practices & Good Handling Practices Audit Verification Checklist. U.S. Department of Agriculture. November 23, 2011.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5091326

Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Produce. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. July 2011.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2046A.pdf

On-Farm Food Safety Information for Food Service Personnel. University of Minnesota. October 2011.

http://safety.cfans.umn.edu/pdfs/On-farm_food_safety_questions_HFHL.pdf

Developing a Food Safety Plan for your Fresh Produce Operation. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. December 21, 2009.

http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Services/Document-6659

Wixson, Cheryl. Rabbit Hill Farm Food Safety Plan: A Good Agricultural Practices and HACCP Based Plan. Received August 26, 2011.

Portland Public Schools

Addressing Farm Food Safety in the Procurement of Local Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Farm Information

·  Farm Name:______

·  Total Acres Farmed:______

·  Products available: ______

·  Amount of product liability insurance coverage: $______

·  Are chemical pesticides and fertilizers used: Y N

·  Has the farm been through the USDA GAP Audit Program: Y N

·  Is the farm Certified Organic: Y N

·  Does the farm have a written food safety plan: Y N

·  Is this facility licensed and inspected to process products: Y N

·  Are you interested in allowing schools to visit your farm: Y N

·  If so, do you have premise liability insurance coverage: Y N

·  Are you interested in talking with students at a school about your products: Y N

·  Other current local customers: ______

______

·  Delivery/Payment terms and expectations: ______

______

______