New publication about microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables

Fresh fruits and vegetables contaminated with foodborne pathogens (bacteria, viruses, protozoa, helminths, etc.) have resulted in numerous outbreaks of foodborne illness, made headlines and caused trade disruptions around the world. To better understand these hazards, and how to prevent and mitigate the risks, FAO and WHO convened a meeting of scientific experts to identify and evaluate commodity-specific interventions used to reduce the risk of microbiological hazards in fresh fruit and vegetable production – from primary production to post-harvest activities, transportation, point of sale and preparation for consumption. A new report is now available and provides guidance, taking into consideration the effectiveness, practicality and suitability of the various approaches used in fruit and vegetable safety.

Prevention and control of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables – Part 4: Specific commodities, which is volume 44 in the FAO/WHO Microbiological Risk Assessment Series, is the report of the meeting convened by the Secretariat of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA). It addresses four commodity groups:  leafy vegetables and herbs, berries and tropical fruits, melons and tree fruits, and seeded and root vegetables.

This assessment updates and expands previous JEMRA work on the safety of fruits and vegetables and supports work being conducted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission on the development of guidelines for the control of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in leafy vegetables and in sprouts.

Download the report

For more information:

Read more about JEMRA’s work on the FAO website and on the WHO website
Prevention and control of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables. Part 3: Sprout
Prevention and control of microbiological hazards in fresh fruits and vegetables. Part 1 and 2 - forthcoming

Photo:  © FAO/Miguel Schincariol