EVENT

Workshop: Produce Food Safety in Schools

Date: October 28, 2009

Location: Greenbelt Marriott Hotel, Greenbelt, MD

Hosted by:

Event Info:

New initiatives in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) will introduce millions of additional dollars to provide fresh produce in school meals and snacks through the Farm Bill and the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Fresh produce provided to schools will come through both conventional, large producers and through small, local producers. The increase in fresh produce will improve students' nutrient intake, but there is concern that it may cause a concomitant increased risk of foodborne illness. This concern arises from the fact that the past decade has seen a significant increase in the frequency of produce-associated outbreaks of human illness. In school settings, the fresh produce itself is a concern, but so are the novel ways that schools will procure and deliver these foods to students. Programs such as farm-to-school and the delivery of fresh produce in settings outside of the school cafeteria may pose new food safety concerns that must be addressed.

The purpose of this workshop was to identify where the risks might exist in the growing, harvesting, sorting, packing, finishing, and transporting of fresh produce, in both conventional and novel agricultural settings. Once the produce is in schools, the risks from the handling, preparing, and delivering by school food service personnel were identified. Mitigation steps were noted for both sides of the continuum, as well as educational materials and resources, and areas of further research were noted.

Presentations

Jianghong Meng, Ph.D.
Produce Safety in Schools
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Brenda Halbrook, M.S., R.D.
Produce Safety in Schools - Setting the Scene
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Sherri Dennis, Ph.D.
Risk Ranking and Risk Prioritization Tools
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Barry Eisenberg
Produce Production, Processing, and Distribution
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Jeannie Sneed, Ph.D., R.D., SNS, CP-FS
Food Handling Practices in Schools
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Other Workshop Materials

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS FOR SCHOOLS

Checklist for Retail Purchasing of Local Produce
Iowa State University Extension. 2009.
www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM2046A.pdf

Preventing Contamination in Food Bars: Food Safety Fact Sheet
National Food Service Management Institute. 2009.
nfsmi-web01.nfsmi.olemiss.edu/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20090319102914.pdf

Choice Plus: Food Safety Supplement
USDA FNS and National Food Service Management Institute.
nfsmi-web01.nfsmi.olemiss.edu/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20080206043207.pdf

Fruits and Vegetables Galore
USDA FNS. 2004.
Please note the information on Quality Food for Quality Meals on pages 21-26.
www.fns.usda.gov/TN/Resources/fv_galore.html

Produce/Salad Area: Produce/Salad Area - Educational Poster
National Food Service Management Institute. 2000.
nfsmi-web01.nfsmi.olemiss.edu/DocumentDownload.aspx?id=424

EPIDEMIOLOGY AND OUTBREAKS

Food Safety and Fresh Produce: An Update
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Fresh Produce: A Growing Cause of Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States, 1973 through 1997
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The growing burden of foodborne outbreaks due to contaminated fresh produce: risks and opportunities
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Foodborne disease outbreaks in United States schools
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FRESH PRODUCE IN SCHOOLS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Handbook
USDA - FNS
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MN School Food Service Director Survey: Farm-to-School
USDA - FNS
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Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
USDA - FNS
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PRODUCE SAFETY

FDA Draft Guidances for Tomatoes, Leafy Greens, and Melons
Visit FDA Website

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Tomatoes: Foodservice & Retail
Visit FDA website

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Melons: User Handling (Retail and Food Service)
Visit FDA Website

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Leafy Greens: Retail and Food Service
Visit FDA Website

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