CHICAGO--Diets rich in fruits and vegetables have been shown to have many health benefits, yet recent outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with fresh produce have made consumers hesitant about getting their "5 a Day." Food and agricultural scientists will convene May 12-14 in Rosemont, Il., to examine food safety challenges associated with fresh fruits and vegetables.

The symposium, "Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Food Safety Challenges," is the fourth in a series on Food Safety in the 21st Century, sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and National Center for Food Safety and Technology (NCFST) of the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Topics covered on Tues., May 12, will include an overview of outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with fresh fruits and vegetables, international trade dimensions of fresh produce safety, industry initiatives to enhance the safety of fresh produce, microbial ecology in fruits and vegetables, and an overview of current microbiological perspectives on fresh produce.

On Wed., May 13, good agricultural practices and postharvest handling of fresh fruits and vegetables will be examined. Topics will include crop fertilization, water treatments, water quality, irrigation, runoff control, pesticide applications, harvest and sanitation concerns, quality and integrity of product at harvest, traceback, receiving incoming product, staging and cooling procedures, transportation and produce distribution systems, handling fresh produce in supermarkets and in restaurants, and keeping fresh-cut produce safe.

The symposium will conclude on Thurs., May 14, with a discussion of intervention strategies and future directions in fresh produce safety assurance. To be addressed are research needs, new technologies for safer produce, the federal research agenda for fresh produce safety, and the future of the federal government's prod
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Contact: Angela Dansby
aldansby@ift.org
(312) 782-8424 X134
Institute of Food Technologists
23-Apr-1998