Food Safety In the Produce Aisle

By: Hilary Thesmar, PhD, RD, FMI Vice President, Food Safety Programs, Food Marketing Institute

What’s your main food safety concern?  If you answered the safety of produce sold in your stores, including locally sourced produce, you’re not alone. Experienced food retailers know that this product area offers unique challenges of providing customers what they want, while maintaining the food safety assurances we need to ensure the product is safe.  

FMI has a resource on produce food safety that specifically addresses safe produce handling both in the supply chain and stores.  The Produce Safety Best Practices Guide for Retailers was developed by food safety professionals at FMI member companies and our industry partners, United Fresh Produce Association and the Produce Marketing Association. The Guide focuses on two main areas of produce food safety—guidance throughout the supply chain, and produce handling best practices in grocery stores. With action items to help retail buyers work with suppliers and step-by-step procedures for the safe handling of produce, this Guide is every food retailer's must-read.

When it comes to matters of food safety, a failure on the part of one of us adversely affects all of us.  Following the steps outlined in this best practices guide will help all of us further protect the health and maintain the trust of our customers. Click here to download the Produce Safety Best Practices Guide for Retailers.