To minimize the risk of serious adverse health consequences or death from consumption of contaminated produce, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of produce grown for human consumption.
The rule sets forth procedures, processes and practices that minimize the risk of serious adverse health consequences or death, including those reasonably necessary to prevent the introduction of known or reasonably foreseeable biological hazards into or onto produce and to provide reasonable assurances that the produce is not adulterated on account of such hazards. The rule is expected to reduce foodborne illness associated with the consumption of contaminated produce.
“FDA’s authority to conduct on-farm examinations and
investigations for the purposes of the FD&C Act is not limited to for-cause
situations and FDA is not required to give a farm prior notice of an
inspection,” page 625.
For more
information, Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of
Produce for Human is available here.
