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Investigative Report on the Safety of Fresh Produce

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Investigative Report on the Safety of Fresh Produce

Introduction

The number of people consuming fresh fruits and vegetables has increased dramatically

over the recent few years. As individuals continue to seek healthier lifestyles, they settle on

fresh foodstuffs as their best choice. Nevertheless, fresh produce continues to be a major cause of

foodborne illnesses. Before these commodities reach the consumer, there lacks a quality check

step that can determine if the products are fit for human consumption. Distribution firms rely

heavily on the customer to observe appropriate safety procedures and properly clean their

produce and elude cross contagion within their kitchen. Recently, disease outbreaks related to

fresh produce involving cases in multistate have increased concurrently. Over the past decade,

there have been major outbreaks involving spinach, tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, melons, and

jalapenos (Wood, Hedburg, & White, 1991). The most prevalent human pathogens usually linked

to fresh produce include E. coli, L., Hepatitis A., Cyclospora, and monocytogenes, S., among

others. For instance, in 2011, an unprecedented Listeria monocytogenes outbreak in Colorado

from cantaloupe was one of the deadliest foodborne illness outbreak in the U.S.; over 140

individuals became ill, and 29 other lost their lives. The cause of the outbreak was traced back to

Jensen farms, located near Holly, Colorado. More recently, in 2020, Dole had a recall for

Cyclospora in vegetable snack mixes, and in 2018 Kirkland brand frozen berries were recalled

for Hepatitis A.

The increase in the number of outbreaks in the past decade is due to many different

factors. Products that are labeled as "ready-to-eat" have increased dramatically in consumption.

Most produce is grown outdoors, making it very vulnerable and susceptible to the environment.

Contamination can come from pathogenic microbes from the soil it is grown in, the water used
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by farmers to process the produce, manure used to help grow the food, and animals that live in

and around the food. Produce is also subject to the health and hygiene of the workers that harvest

and process the food. Therefore, this is all in addition to the poor education of the consumer who

does not take the proper safety measures before the food is eaten. With all of these different

means for the food to get contaminated, it is easy to understand how there have been so many

outbreaks involving fresh produce.

Background

The Federal Government gives guidance on healthy eating habits, comprising eating

foods rich in a diversity of vegetables and fruits, via the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

(DGA) and the associated MyPyramid food regulation system (the U.S. Public Health Service,

FDA. (1997). As the fresh produce market keeps on developing, the processors of such products

are confronted with the challenge of handling an expanding assortment and volume of produces

in a way that guarantees the wellbeing of this produce. More foodborne diseases have lately been

reported in various states. Numerous components may be responsible for the rate and announcing

of foodborne ailment episodes that ensnare new produce, for example, an aging populace that is

vulnerable to foodborne disease, an increment in worldwide trade, a more advanced supply

network, improved reconnaissance and recognition of foodborne ailment, upgrades in the

epidemiological examination, and progressively better techniques to recognize microbes

(Sivapalasingam, Friedman, Cohen & Tauxe, 2004). To guarantee that fresh products are fit for

human consumption, the federal government has laid down some regulations through the Food

and Drugs Authority (FDA) (U.S. Public Health Service, FDA. 1997). The Produce Safety Rule

sets up compulsory science-based, minimum guidelines for the harmless growing, gathering,

packaging, and storing of products grown for human utilization. These guidelines are intended to
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turn out viably for food handling across the wide variety of produce ranches. These regulations

differ from those of other foods in that fresh produce fall under unprocessed foods; hence, it is

important to monitor all the production processes.

Preparing fresh produce into freshly finished products expands the danger of bacterial

development and tainting by breaking the normal outside boundary of the produce (U.S. Public

Health Service, FDA. 1997). When produce is cleaved or destroyed, the arrival of plant cell

liquids gives a nutritive medium where microbes, if present, can endure or develop (U.S. Public

Health Service, FDA. 1997). Consequently, if microbes are available when the surface

respectability of the organic product or vegetable is broken, microorganism development can

happen, and pollution may spread. The preparation of fresh produce without appropriate

sterilization systems in the handling environment builds contamination by microorganisms. The

potential for microorganisms to endure or develop is increased by the high dampness and

supplement substance of new cut foods grown from the ground.

Moreover, the shortfall of a deadly interaction (e.g., heat) during creation to dispense

with microbes, and the potential for temperature maltreatment during preparing, storing,

transport, and retail show (U.S. Public Health Service, FDA. 1997). Significantly, be that as it

may, new cut produces handling can diminish the danger of tainting by putting the planning of

new cut produce in a controlled, sterile facility. For farmers and consumers, it is difficult to

inspect this because most fresh produce grows outside, which makes it entirely defenseless to the

climate (Sivapalasingam, Friedman, Cohen, & Tauxe, 2004). Pollution can emerge out of

pathogenic microorganisms, from the dirt it is growing in, the water that farmers utilize to

nurture the produce, compost that is utilized to help develop the food, and animals that thrive in

and around the plants.

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Interview

To ascertain how people are affected by regulations or lack thereof for fresh produce, I

endeavored to carry out a small survey in the form of an 'interview.' Here is the interaction

between my respondent (John) and me.

Me: Hello, John. Thank you for agreeing to participate in this small survey on the regulations

governing fresh produce.

John: You are most welcome. It is my pleasure doing this with you.

Me: Ok, great! To begin with, I would like to know if you are an avid user of fresh produce.

John: Yes, definitely, I am. I have been consuming fresh fruits and vegetables consistently now

for the past 15 years. I started this to keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Me: Oh, that is very nice of you. Since you have a consumer of fresh produce for quite a long

time, I would like to know if you have encountered a case where you or a close family member

has consumed contaminated produce.

John: Yes, it was quite a difficult moment. It has occurred severally. First, it was a case of E

Coli L, and the other one was Cyclospora.

Me: I am sorry about that. Do you feel like the government is doing enough to regulate the

production and distribution of fresh produce?

John: I do not think so. Most of the fresh produce we buy in grocery stores comes directly from

the farmers. The government, which is supposed to be the inspector, does not feature in

producing these products; hence, it is very easy for customers to buy contaminated produce

without noticing it.

Me: I get your point, John. If I understand you correctly, you want to mean a missing "kill" link

or step between the farmer and the consumer, right?

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John: Yes, that is correct.

Me: Thank you very much, John, for your productive insight. I appreciate your time and

cooperation. Have a wonderful time ahead.

John: You are most welcome, and have a great day too.

From the interview, it was clear that government regulations lack the production and

distribution of fresh produce. The food regulating authorities should put the necessary measures

to ensure that consumers get safe products from the farmers.

To protect themselves from contaminated products, consumers can do several things.

First, they should ensure that the products they are buying are certified by FDA. Secondly, when

buying directly from farmers, they should request the farmers to describe the growing procedures

they use and the disease control measures they employ when growing the products. The

advantages of buying fresh produce at a small local retailer are that the consumer is guaranteed

freshness of the produce. Most local retailers do not have chemicals and large refrigerated

storing facilities; hence, they can only stock fresh products. Secondly, the consumer is aware of

where the produce comes from; the nearest farms. The local retailer cannot be able to transport

perishable produce from long distances due to cost. Therefore, they would rather buy fresh

produce from local farmers.

Nevertheless, there are several risks of buying fresh produce locally. First, the handling of the

product may be unclean, and hence, prone to contamination. Secondly, the fresh produce

packaging in local retail may make the produce vulnerable to airborne bacteria. Thirdly, the local

produce may not be certified by the food and drug authority. Consumers can protect themselves

from pathogens by ensuring that they wash their produce properly and observe cleanliness within

their kitchen areas.

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Overall, fresh produce, which includes fruits and vegetables, plays a significant role in

ensuring a healthy population. However, fresh produce also forms a great part of foodborne

diseases. To ensure the safety of fresh produce, the government should endorse important

regulations that guarantee that the production of these products is safe for the consumer.

Consumers should also ensure that they observe appropriate safety procedures and properly

cleaning their produce, and avoiding contagion within their kitchen. By doing so, the number of

foodborne illnesses will drop, and individuals will comfortably achieve their health goals.
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Reference

Wood, R. C., Hedburg, C., & White, K. (1991). A multistate outbreak of Salmonella javiana

associated with raw tomatoes. Abstract. Epidemic Intelligence Service 40th Ann.

Conference, CDC.

U.S. Public Health Service, FDA. (1997). Food Code, U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services, Food and Drug Administration.

Sivapalasingam, S., Friedman, C. R., Cohen, L., & Tauxe, R. V. (2004). Fresh Produce: A

Growing Cause of Outbreaks of Foodborne Illness in the United States, 1973 through

1997. Journal of Food Protection. 67(10), pp. 2342-2353.