Many consumers are hesitant to trust local farms due to a lack of accreditation, confusion surrounding food safety, and mistrust in general cleanliness of farm practices.
If this isn’t a “company”, how can I be sure the food is safe? Is this farm subject to audits and regulations? Was everything grown, stored, and handled with cleanliness in mind? All of these questions are completely valid--in fact, you should be thinking about this regardless of where you purchase produce!
Raw, uncooked produce poses a unique threat because there is no kill step (e.g. cooking, canning, etc.) to reduce pathogens or bacteria prior to consumption. As we know, certain pathogens can make us sick, and unfortunately, even lead to death. Some familiar examples are E. coli, salmonella, and shigella. These microscopic organisms can leach into food sources from agricultural water, soil amendments, wildlife, and even from the hands and shoes of workers.
Due to bacteria’s microscopic nature, a proactive approach is the most reliable method of protecting consumers from outbreaks. It is virtually impossible to detect bacteria without proper testing; therefore, it’s critical for farms to mitigate risk of contaminants through awareness of risk, routine testing and recordkeeping, and adherence to a food safety plan. A food safety plan will not only determine steps to take if high bacterial counts are detected, but it outlines standard operating procedures with food safety in mind (i.e. cleaning schedules, water test results, proper sanitation practices, worker health and hygiene training, actions taken to minimize wildlife intrusion, etc.).
Bottom line: farmers must be thoughtful about any and all risks to food safety, and they must effectively organize and follow a plan for keeping their produce safe for consumers.
Sierra holds certification by the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) for proper food safety techniques. PSA is a joint effort between the USDA, FDA, and Cornell University to prepare produce growers in meeting the regulatory requirements of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.
*As with any produce you might buy from a traditional grocery store, it’s always important to thoroughly wash raw produce prior to consumption.
टिप्पणियां