Produce Trade Associations Offer Melon Food Safety Guidance
WASHINGTON -- In a joint effort to help the fresh produce industry ensure the highest levels of food safety, the United Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Association (United), based here, and the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) have released "Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Melon Supply Chain."
Developed by a group of leading produce food safety experts and representatives of operations within the industry, the document provides food safety guidance for the entire melon supply chain.
"United, PMA, and our industry partners have made food safety our top priority," said Dr. Jim Gorny, v.p. of quality assurance and technology for United. "We are committed to continual improvement of produce safe-handling practices and suggest that all companies involved in the melon supply chain consider the recommendations contained within these guidelines."
PMA, United, and industry partners also support educational outreach efforts to assure awareness and use of available melon food safety information. Further, the two organizations will work together to review and implement these and other important produce industry food safety guidelines.
"Our organizations and the government also share the common goal of assuring consumer confidence in the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables," said PMA v.p. Kathy Means. "The myriad health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption are well documented, and we will take all necessary steps to make our industry's products as safe, nutritious, and delicious as possible."
The document is available on both http://www.uffva.org and http://www.pma.com, the respective Web sites of United and PMA.
Developed by a group of leading produce food safety experts and representatives of operations within the industry, the document provides food safety guidance for the entire melon supply chain.
"United, PMA, and our industry partners have made food safety our top priority," said Dr. Jim Gorny, v.p. of quality assurance and technology for United. "We are committed to continual improvement of produce safe-handling practices and suggest that all companies involved in the melon supply chain consider the recommendations contained within these guidelines."
PMA, United, and industry partners also support educational outreach efforts to assure awareness and use of available melon food safety information. Further, the two organizations will work together to review and implement these and other important produce industry food safety guidelines.
"Our organizations and the government also share the common goal of assuring consumer confidence in the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables," said PMA v.p. Kathy Means. "The myriad health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption are well documented, and we will take all necessary steps to make our industry's products as safe, nutritious, and delicious as possible."
The document is available on both http://www.uffva.org and http://www.pma.com, the respective Web sites of United and PMA.