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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #357167
Research Project: Characterization and Mitigation of Bacterial Pathogens in the Fresh Produce Production and Processing Continuum

Location: Environmental Microbial & Food Safety Laboratory

Title: Commodity specific food safety guidelines for the fresh tomato supply chain

Author
item MCENTIRE, JENNIFER - United Fresh Produce Association
item GOMBAS, DAVID - United Fresh Produce Association
item Luo, Yaguang - Sunny
item DECOSTA, SURESH - Lipman Family Farms
item CAMPBELL, JERRY - Dimare Fresh, Inc
item DOUGHERTY, JENNIFER - Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS, USDA)
item DANYLUK, MICHELLE - University Of Florida
item ROBERTS, MARTHA - University Of Florida
item SUSLOW, TREVOR - University Of California, Davis
item SCHNEIDER, KEITH - University Of Florida
item ANDERSON, REBECCA - Globalgap North America
item COTTA, SHANNON - Dimare Fresh, Inc
item DAVIS, CHRIS - Gargiulo Farms
item LOVELACE, TOM - McEntire Produce
item MORENO, MARIANNA - Live Oak Farms
item VALADEZ, ANGELA - Publix Super Markets, Inc

Submitted to: United Fresh Produce Association
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/5/2018
Publication Date: 2/5/2019
Citation: Mcentire, J., Gombas, D., Luo, Y., Decosta, S., Campbell, J., Dougherty, J., Danyluk, M., Roberts, M., Suslow, T., Schneider, K., Anderson, R., Cotta, S., Davis, C., Lovelace, T., Moreno, M., Valadez, A. 2019. Commodity specific food safety guidelines for the fresh tomato supply chain. United Fresh Produce Association. 3:1-51.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Tomatoes are a highly nutritious source of minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients, which confer many health benefits including anti-cancer and anti-aging properties. However, occasional contamination with human pathogens could also compromise food safety. The purpose of this industry-wide, and multi-institute effort is to provide currently available information on food safety and handling in a manner consistent with existing applicable regulations, standards and guidelines. These guidelines provide recommended food safety practices that are intended to minimize the microbiological hazards associated with fresh and fresh-cut tomatoes.