Food Safety Faces Unprecedented Challenges Today : A Part from the Book Chapter : Microbial Challenges in Fresh-cut Produce: A Comprehensive One Health Approach

Being fresh and minimally processed and consumed raw, food safety in MP products has become a top priority for both the public and private sectors. Despite global efforts in risk assessment, traceability, hygiene, hazard analysis critical control points (HACCP), and the withdrawal of unsafe products from the market, food safety faces unprecedented challenges today. Pathogen contamination is responsible for a wide variety of diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancer. Approximately 600 million people worldwide fall ill due to contaminated food, with 420,000 deaths annually, resulting in the loss of 33 million disability-adjusted life years. Children younger than 5 years old bear 40% of the total foodborne diseases, accounting for 125,000 deaths every year. Diarrheal diseases, causing 550 million illnesses and 230,000 deaths annually, are the most common illnesses resulting from the consumption of contaminated food. According to the 2021 EFSA/ECDC Report in Europe, the causative agents most frequently identified in foodborne outbreaks are Salmonella, bacterial toxins, norovirus, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli, with L. monocytogenes being responsible for most deaths. All of these can occur in MP produce.

Author(s) Details:

Maria Isabel Santos
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.

Madalena Grácio
Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal.

Mariana Camoesas Silva
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.

Laurentina Pedroso
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.

Ana Lima
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, CECAV—Centre of Animal and Veterinary Science, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal.

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Recent Global Research Developments in Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Produce

Microbial Food Safety Hazards: The FDA has issued guidance to minimize microbial food safety hazards in fresh-cut produce. This guidance includes recommendations on personal health and hygiene, training, building and equipment sanitation, and processing controls [1] .

Preventive Control Programs: The FDA recommends the adoption of preventive control programs such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. This system is designed to prevent, eliminate, or reduce microbial, chemical, and physical hazards associated with food production [2] .

Multidisciplinary Efforts: Collaborative efforts among scientists from various institutions focus on reducing microbial risks associated with fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This includes research, education, and outreach components aimed at improving safety from farm to table [3] .

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs): The FDA and USDA have issued guidance on good agricultural practices to ensure the safety of both domestic and imported fruits and vegetables. This includes recommendations on water quality, manure use, worker health, and field sanitation [4] .

Draft Guidance for Fresh-Cut Produce: The FDA has published draft guidance for the safe production of fresh-cut produce. This document provides recommendations on processing controls, packaging, storage, and transport to minimize microbial food safety hazards [5] .

References

1. Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
   https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-guide-minimize-microbial-food-safety-hazards-fresh-fruits-and-vegetables
2. FDA Issues Draft Guidance for the Safe Production of Fresh-Cut Produce
   https://produceprocessing.net/news/fda-issues-draft-guidance-for-the-safe-production-of-fresh-cut-produce/
3. MINIMIZING MICROBIAL FOOD SAFETY HAZARDS OF FRESH AND FRESH-CUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THROUGH A FARM TO TABLE APPROACH
   https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/0214314-minimizing-microbial-food-safety-hazards-of-fresh-and-fresh-cut-fruits-and-vegetables-through-a-farm-to-table-approach.html
4. Minimizing Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Fresh and Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables Through a Farm to Table Approach
   https://www.nal.usda.gov/research-tools/food-safety-research-projects/minimizing-microbial-food-safety-hazards-fresh-and
5. Guide To Minimize Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-Cut Produce: Draft Guidance for Industry; Availability
   https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/22/2018-23005/guide-to-minimize-food-safety-hazards-of-fresh-cut-produce-draft-guidance-for-industry-availability