Food Safety
The California Fresh Fruit Association is committed to the principle that food safety is an important element of ensuring the success of the industry. In March of 2022, CFFA entered into a strategic partnership with George Nikolich Consulting to provide support to the organization in the area of food safety.
As part of the agreement, CFFA has sponsored the development of a website dedicated to food safety issues. It is the hope that through the sharing of experiences, expertise, knowledge, and ideas, the mission of the website is support the California fresh fruit industry in its effort to reduce food safety risks and supply consumers with safe, wholesome, fresh fruits.
For more information, please contact George Nikolich at george@safefreshfruit.com.
California Fresh Fruit Association encourages all consumers to always use good food safety practices when bringing home produce from grocery stores or markets. Individuals can keep food safe to eat by following safe food handling practices in their homes. Simple habits include thoroughly washing the fresh produce and cutting on a clean surface, keeping it separate from other food so that cross-contamination does not occur.
For additional resources on safe food handling processes, please visit:
https://www.safefruitsandveggies.com/
https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/safe-food-handling
https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html
The Food Safety Plan Builder (FSPB) v. 1.0 is a user-friendly tool designed to help owners and operators of a food establishment with the development of a food safety plan that is specific to their facilities.
A Food Safety Plan must contain those components that are needed to be in compliance with the Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food rule (21 CFR part 117, or “CGMP & PC for Human Food rule”) requirements in Subpart C – Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls. A Food Safety Plan is a set of written documents that is based on food safety principles and incorporates hazard analysis and preventive controls, including supply-chain programs and a recall plan; and delineates the procedures to be followed for monitoring, corrective actions and verification. Although the content of the Food Safety Plan Builder v. 1.0 is consistent with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) existing regulations and guidance, use of the Food Safety Plan Builder by owners and operators of food facilities does not imply FDA approval of the resultant food safety plan. The Food Safety Plan Builder v. 1.0 is a desktop tool that resides only on the user’s computer. FDA does not track or monitor its use and does not have access to any content or documents saved using this tool.
FDA has taken all reasonable precautions in creating the Food Safety Plan Builder v. 1.0 and the documentation accompanying it. However, FDA is not responsible for errors, omissions or deficiencies regarding the tool and the accompanying documentation. The Food Safety Plan Builder and the accompanying documentation are available for download “as is” and without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose. FDA is not making a commitment in any way to regularly update the tool and the accompanying documentation.
Responsibility for the interpretation and use of the Food Safety Plan Builder v. 1.0 and of the accompanying documentation lies solely with users. In no event shall FDA be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, exemplary or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.
Third parties’ use of or acknowledgment of the tool and its accompanying documentation does not in any way represent an FDA endorsement of such third parties.
