Fresh Produce Safety

 

May 2025

The purpose of this statement is to provide the risk assessment background in relation to fresh produce, including leafy salads, melons, soft fruit, herbs, sprouted seeds, and seeds for sprouting, and to highlight current guides and codes of practice that have been developed for the food supply chain to minimise microbiological contamination of produce. Whilst produce is seen as an essential source of nutrients and vitamins, there have been a number of well-publicised food safety incidents associated with fresh produce. This has led to increased attention being paid to how the food safety hazards associated with raw foods should be effectively identified, controlled, and, where possible, reduced to a safe level.  

Introduction

There have been a number of well-publicised international food safety incidents associated with fresh produce over the last few years, most of which have arisen in the North American market. Recent North American incidents include Salmonellosis associated with Mexican-grown cucumbers and peppers, mangoes, alfalfa sprouts, and Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes linked with cantaloupe melons. In addition, over the past fifteen years there have been numerous North American E. coli O157 outbreaks linked to fresh produce, and particularly to leafy vegetables. In the United Kingdom (UK), over the last six years, there have been more than fourteen public recalls for the presence of Salmonella or suspected Salmonella contamination of seeds1. The German/French E. coli O104 outbreak in May-June 2011, linked to a specific consignment of fenugreek seeds imported from Egypt, caused 3,911 cases and 51 deaths2.  

The majority of incidents result from breaches of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) or Good Handling Practices (GHP) in the field (e.g. use of non-composted manure, domestic animals or wildlife, accessing crops or crop storage areas, or contaminated water being used for irrigation)3. The Health Protection Agency (HPA), now Public Health England (PHE), has publicly stated that issues arising in the UK are primarily linked to wholesale and imported produce, which is not subject to the level of growing and handling controls implemented by the UK’s retail and prepared produce supply chain, for example, Shigella outbreak in 2021 linked to Egyptian salad onions4.  

Since produce is an important source of nutrients and vitamins, the UK Government’s advice is to eat ‘5 portions a day’, which relates to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendation of 400 grams (5 x 80g) per day. Much produce is eaten raw, and whilst washing primarily removes soil, it will only reduce, but not eliminate, potential pathogenic organisms that may be present. It is, therefore, vital to minimise opportunities for contamination to occur during growing, handling, and use. Owing to the existing controls in place in the UK retail pre-prepared salad sector, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) advised that salad labelled as washed and ready to eat ‘can be eaten straight out of the packet’ and does not require further washing by the consumer3.  

This approach recognises that effective produce safety management must begin in the field with the identification and control of potential microbiological food safety hazards at all stages in order to minimise harm to the consumer.  

 

Hazard Reviews

The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) began in 2000 as a result of a drive for international risk-based scientific advice on microbiological food safety issues. Codex originally developed the Principles and Guidelines for the conduct of Microbiological Risk Assessment in 19995. This document, which defines microbiological risk assessment terminology and the general principles of microbial risk assessment, has now been supplemented by a series of JEMRA guidelines. These include hazard characterisation for pathogens in food and water6 and exposure assessment of microbiological hazards in food7. Codex also revised its recommended international code of practice: General Principles of Food Hygiene in 2003. This document states that a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) based assessment should be undertaken and determines a number of pre-requisite procedures that need to be in place at primary production to ensure the safety of the food produced. In 2006, Codex agreed to progress the development of commodity-specific annexes to its Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Code.   

This was progressed by the JEMRA risk prioritisation of fresh produce in terms of microbiological hazards that was produced by a meeting of experts in September 20079 and an FAO/WHO expert group in May 2008 review of potential microbiological hazards and their control in the production of fresh leafy vegetables and herbs10. That report noted that post-harvest treatments/handling will only reduce the number of microorganisms that may be present, but nothing apart from heat or irradiation is effective at eliminating them, which is not always appropriate. The report concluded that emphasis, therefore needed to be on appropriate field standards. Appropriate grower knowledge of hazard control of the growing environment (including the need for specific site assessment prior to cultivation, appropriate use of soil amendments and fertilisers and especially the role of composting) were identified in the report as being key together with full implementation of existing GAP standards. These and other key principles were included in 2010 in Annex I of the Codex Code of Good Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruit and Vegetables11 and, therefore, are recognised by the WTO. Codex is, at the time of writing, consolidating the various commodity-specific guidelines. 

In summary, each glowing location (field/plot) is unique, and consequentially, the level and combination of hazards associated with each location will be unique. Each specific site assessment should be carried out by trained staff who understand potential hazards that may result in microbial contamination in any location. The importance of this is reflected in the development of bespoke third-party standards for retailers and food processors.  

Standards

The European Chilled Food Federation in 1999, presented its Expert Group’s hazard minimisation review to the European Commission, which resulted in a Scientific Committee for Food Produce risk assessment in 2001. To address the need for clear control guidance, the Chilled Food Association (CFA) first published its Microbiological Guidance for Produce Suppliers to Chilled Food Manufacturers in 2002, publishing revisions in 2007 and 2016. The 4th Edition was published February 2025 and has been updated with the latest scientific developments and additional focus on food safety risks, following extreme weather events. This document provides information, particularly in relation to produce that is to be minimally processed and eaten without being cooked, regarding the main microbial food safety hazards, their control in the field, and protocols on the assessment of decontamination efficacy and produce washing. In the UK, “Guidance for food business operators on the hygienic sourcing, production and safe handling of ready-to-eat sprouts (FPC, 2012) was developed by an industry-FSA consortium, providing advice on reducing the risk of contamination12.  

Certain individual UK retailers have also developed their own GAP protocols that their produce suppliers, including overseas, are required to demonstrate compliance and undergo monitoring and auditing. Documents such as Red Tractor Fresh Produce standards and GlobalGAP13 standards have been expanded over recent years to incorporate microbiological food safety controls. Global GAP’s Harmonized Produce Safety Standard (HPSS) is an international auditable standard, which, like GlobalGAP’s Produce Safety Standard (PSS) only covers food safety and traceability. The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)14 and the Brand Reputation and Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS)15 are generic standards applying to factory hygiene and post-harvest control of potential microbiological contamination. The FSA and Horticulture Development Company produced a factsheet16 and web-based risk assessment tool17 for growers that deal with water use, manure/composted manure inputs and worker hygiene. Following the E. coli outbreak with UK watercress in 201318, the FSA and watercress industry collaborated in developing the industry ‘Guide to Good Hygiene Practices – Watercress'19.  

Good Agricultural Practice

GAP is the result of the application of HACCP principles for on-farm processes, including identifying the measures required to eliminate physical, chemical and microbial contamination risks and, where this is not possible, reduce them to an acceptable level. Key control elements include:  

  • Appropriate growing location selection, e.g. away from wildlife, livestock, low flood risk  

  • Regular microbiological assessment of irrigation water with treatment before use as appropriate to the crop; Note Food Safety Scotland (FSS) has developed a free online water risk assessment tool for UK supply20   

  • Controls on the use of organic fertilisers, especially those which contain manures – raw farmyard manure usage on raw ready-to-eat crops being prohibited in the CFA guidelines  

  • Hand washing and toilet facilities are provided for field workers  

  • Hygiene training of harvest staff  

  • Washing and disinfection of harvesting equipment (e.g. knives, automatic harvesters)  

  • Hygienic facilities for harvesting/handling/chilling/processing and despatch  

  • Floating and/or washing under controlled conditions to remove soil and reduce microbial loading with water of a suitable microbiological standard  

  • Temperature control to minimise microbiological growth  

  • Allocation of appropriate shelf life to minimise the opportunity for microbial growth  

  • Appropriate crop protection and chemical controls to minimise the risk of contamination and  

  • Effective control of potential physical contaminants through the use of pre-requisite programs, which are monitored and verified  

The whole produce supply chain needs to be aware of the potential hazards associated with fresh produce, particularly those to be eaten raw or minimally processed, and implement monitoring controls that are demonstrably effective in reducing the likelihood of the occurrence of hazards. Existing GAP focused on microbiological control measures should be taken up by all ready-to-eat produce producers.  

Taking all possible risk mitigation approaches and adopting all GAP/GMP practices can never guarantee that the product is 100% safe as it is grown in open fields and subject to potential environmental contamination.   

List of acronyms

BRCGS Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standard  

CFA Chilled Food Association  

FAO Food Agriculture Organisation (United Nations)  

FPC Fresh Produce Consortium  

FSA Food Standards Agency  

GAP Good Agricultural Practice  

GFSI Global Food Safety Initiative  

GHP Good Handling Practice (sometimes called Good Hygienic Practice)  

HACCP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point  

HPA Health Protection Agency  

HPSS Harmonized Produce Safety Standard (GlobalGAP)  

JEMRA Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment  

PHE Public Health England  

UK United Kingdom  

WHO World Health Organisation  

References
  1. Food Standards Agency (FSA) Alerts http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/alerts/  
  2. Scientific Report of EFSA. Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC) O104:H4 2011 Outbreaks in Europe: Taking Stock (2011). European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Parma, Italy http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/2390.pdf   
  3. A review of the published literature describing foodborne illness outbreaks associated with ready-to-eat fresh produce and an overview of current UK fresh produce farming practices. Monaghan, Jim & Thomas, I. & Goodburn, Karin & Hutchison, Mike. (2008) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238748924_A_review_of_the_published_literature_describing_foodborne_illness_outbreaks_associated_with_ready_to_eat_fresh_produce_and_an_overview_of_current_UK_fresh_produce_farming_practices   
  4. Foodborne Outbreak of Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase Producing Shigella sonnei Associated with Contaminated Spring Onions in the United Kingdom. Claire, Jenkins et al. (2023) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0362028X23067467#:~:text=Highlights&text=UKHSA%20surveillance%20systems%20detected%20an,onions%20as%20the%20likely%20source   
  5. Codex Principles and Guidelines for the conduct of Microbiological Risk Assessment (Adopted 1999. Amendments 2012, 2014) https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXG%2B30-1999%252FCXG_030e_2014.pdf   
  6. Hazard characterisation for pathogens in food and water: Guidelines Microbiological Risk Assessment Series 3 - FAO/WHO (2004) (ISBN 92-5-104940-8) https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/42693/9241562374.pdf    
  7. Exposure assessment of microbiological hazards in food: Guidelines Microbiological Risk Assessment Series 7 - FAO/WHO (2008) (ISBN 92-5-105422-2)  http://apps.who.int//iris/bitstream/10665/43389/1/9241546891_eng.pdf?ua=1   
  8. Recommended international code of practice: general principles of food hygiene CXC 1-1969. https://doi.org/10.4060/cc6125en   
  9. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) on the Prevention and Control of Microbiological Hazards in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/food-safety/jemra/jemra-microbiological-hazards-in-fruits-vegetables-part1and2-summary-report.pdf?sfvrsn=152d08ba_15   
  10. Prevention and control of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables - Part 4: Specific commodities; meeting report Microbiological risk assessment series 44, FAO/WHO (2023). ISSN 1726-5274 (Print), ISSN 1728-0605 (online) CXC 53-2003, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%253A%252F%252Fworkspace.fao.org%252Fsites%252Fcodex%252FStandards%252FCXC%2B53-2003%252FCXC_053e.pdf
  11. Food Standards Scotland Fresh Produce Tool Fresh Produce Tool | Food Standards Scotland  
  12. Guidance for food business operators on the hygienic sourcing, production and safe handling of ready-to-eat sprouts (FPC, 2012) published 2013 https://freshproduce.org.uk/files/FPC-Guidance-for-food-business-operators-on-the-hygienic-sourcing-production-and-safe-handling-of-ready-to-eat-sprouts-Second-Edition-May-2013.pdf    
  13. GlobalGAP Integrated Farm Assurance. Fruit and Vegetable Standards https://www.globalgap.org/what-we-offer/solutions/ifa-fruit-and-vegetables/    
  14. Global Food Safety Initiative http://www.mygfsi.com   
  15. Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standard (BRCGS) https://www.brcgs.com/    
  16. FSA and Horticultural Development Company. Monitoring microbial food safety of fresh produce (2010) Monitoring microbial food safety of fresh produce   
  17. Guidance for food business operators on the hygienic sourcing, production and safe handling of ready-to-eat sprouts (FPC, 2012) published 2013 https://freshproduce.org.uk/files/FPC-Guidance-for-food-business-operators-on-the-hygienic-sourcing-production-and-safe-handling-of-ready-to-eat-sprouts-Second-Edition-May-2013.pdf    
  18. E.coli O157 outbreak linked to watercress - product withdrawn. Public Health England (2013). [Withdrawn] E.coli O157 outbreak linked to watercress - product withdrawn - GOV.UK  
  19. Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice Recognised by Watercress Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs. https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Horticulture/Publications%20Team/Industry%20guide%20to%20good%20hygiene%20-%20Watercress%202017.pdf   
  20. Irrigation water assessment by Food Standard Scotland. https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/business-and-industry/safety-and-regulation/fresh-produce-tool/irrigation-water-assessment
Further reading

Outbreaks attributed to fresh leafy vegetables, United States, 1973–2012  

Herman, K.M. et al., Epidemiology and Infection / Volume 143 / Issue 14 / October 2015, pp 3011-3021  http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9947150&fileId=S0950268815000047 (accessed 29/3/16)  

Sprouts Associated Outbreaks.  
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/files/2016/02/Sprout-associated-outbreaks-2-24-161.pdf  (accessed 2/3/16)  

The Institute of Food Science & Technology has authorised the publication of the following updated Information Statement on Fresh Produce Safety, dated May 2025, replacing that of February 2017.

This updated Information Statement has been prepared and peer reviewed by professional members of IFST and approved by the IFST Scientific Comittee.

The Institute takes every possible care in compiling, preparing and issuing the information contained in IFST Information Statements, but can accept no liability whatsoever in connection with them. Nothing in them should be construed as absolving anyone from complying with legal requirements. They are provided for general information and guidance and to express expert professional interpretation and opinion, on important food-related issues.

Keywords: 
Food Safety
Fresh product Safety
E. Coli
Salmonella
Listeria
Pathogen
Raw ready to eat
Information Statement