Today we are celebrating World Food Safety Day 2022! World Food Safety Day is an international day to recognise the connections between the health of people, plants, animals, the environment and economy and how these systems can help meet the needs of the future.

Coinciding with World Food Safety Day, the FPSC has recently reviewed and updated its Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety. Our Board member Dr Sharon Jones will be presenting on the review of the Guidelines at Hort Connections tomorrow, 8 June.

The Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety are designed to support all supply chain businesses in the horticultural sector. In this update the FPSC reviewed one section of the Guidelines: on the exclusion periods between the use of raw or untreated manure or grazing of animals and the harvesting of crops, and has prepared new recommended exclusion periods.

The updated exclusion periods were prepared by a working group comprising of industry and academic members, based on a thorough review of relevant scientific, peer-reviewed published literature. The updated exclusion periods, and how they were established, will be discussed at Hort Connections on 8 June by FPSC Board member and One Harvest General Manager – Technical & Environment Dr Sharon Jones. Dr Jones chaired the Guidelines working group.

The FPSC is working with scheme owners to recommend the new exclusion periods, and develop a transition and communications plan for the whole industry. The new Guidelines are expected to be launched at the Fresh Produce Safety Conference on 11 August 2022 in Sydney.

“We are pleased to be updating our Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety, with refreshed exclusion periods,” said FPSC Chairman Dr Andreas Klieber.

“FPSC is the custodian of the Guidelines for Fresh Produce Food Safety and is committed to keeping these guidelines current and reflective of the latest research and evidence,” he said. “We will continue to update these Guidelines regularly as new research provides insights and recommendations on best practice in horticultural food safety,” said Dr. Klieber.

The FPSC will discuss the updated Guidelines on 8 June in Brisbane at the industry’s annual event, Hort Connections.