The Food and Drug Administration has finalized new safety guidance for companies that process fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, as recent outbreaks linked to lettuce and jalapeños refocus attention on the safety of America’s produce supply.
The guidance focuses on ready-to-eat produce that has been chopped, sliced, peeled, shredded or otherwise altered before reaching consumers. Unlike whole fruits and vegetables, these products typically receive no cooking or other treatment capable of killing harmful microorganisms before they are eaten. The FDA is urging processors to strengthen sanitation, refrigeration, supplier verification and other controls designed to prevent contamination.
The action comes after several high-profile foodborne illness outbreaks. A large cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce sickened people across multiple states this summer, while health officials have also investigated salmonella infections associated with fresh jalapeño peppers. Products containing jalapeños have been recalled as investigators work to contain the outbreak.
Despite the recent headlines, Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas has urged consumers not to abandon fresh produce. The agency’s new guidance is primarily about preventing contamination before food reaches grocery shelves and restaurants, including keeping processing equipment clean, maintaining safe temperatures and controlling potential hazards throughout the supply chain.
Consumers can still take basic precautions at home. The FDA recommends washing fresh fruits and vegetables under running water before preparing or eating them, keeping produce separate from raw meat and cutting away damaged or bruised areas. The larger responsibility, however, rests upstream: the new guidance is intended to help food processors prevent dangerous organisms from reaching ready-to-eat produce in the first place.
