Old Glory            

Sanitation, Food Safety & Security

University of Florida | Other Universities and Government Sites | Selected Other Sites

University of Florida

Impact of the Bioterrorism Threat on the Food Industries - The events of September 11, 2001 and the aftermath anthrax incidents have refocused the food safety concerns and priorities of regulatory agencies. The threat of terrorism aimed at the food supply and assuring biosecurity have become nightly news stories...

The Food Recall Manual - This publication is only available in PDF format. The following is a description of this publication: The Food Recall Manual: The Food Science and Human Nutrition Department of the University of Florida has assembled this manual to assist food businesses, at all parts of the food chain, in learning to conduct rapid and effective product recalls.

General Overview of the Causative Agents of Foodborne Illness - In general, a foodborne illness event can be caused by contamination of food with biological agents or pathogens (e.g., viruses, bacteria, parasites, prions), chemical agents (e.g., toxins, metals), or physical agents (e.g. glass fragments, bone chips)...

Preventing Foodborne Illness (series):
  Salmonellosis 
  E. coli O157:H7
  Listeriosis
  Campylobacteriosis
  Clostridium perfringens 

Fresh Produce Handling, Sanitation, and Safety Measures:

Basic Elements of a Sanitation Program for Food Processing and Food Handling - A three-word definition of Food Sanitation is protection from contamination. With this in mind, all functions and operations must be included in a sanitation program...

Basic Elements of Equipment Cleaning and Sanitizing in Food Processing and Handling Operations - Since cleaning and sanitizing may be the most important aspect of a sanitation program, sufficient time should be given to outline proper procedures, and parameters...

Sanitation: OSHA Standard 1910.14 - This document is a condensation of Standard 1910.141 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It is not intended to be totally inclusive but rather to highlight the information and requirements in the complete OSHA standard that owners and managers of agricultural businesses should understand...

Chlorine Use In Produce Packing Lines - Many postharvest decay problems result from the ineffective sanitizing of packinghouse dump tanks, flumes and hydrocoolers...

Pesticide Recordkeeping - Sec. 1491 of the 1990 Farm Bill requires that all certified pesticide applicators keep records of their use of federally restricted-use pesticides. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has finalized amendments to the federal pesticide recordkeeping regulations...

Water Quality Monitoring Programs for Environmental Assessment of Citrus Groves - Monitoring is the process of checking or testing in order to regulate or control something. This definition implies three elements: continuity, organization or systematic testing, and purpose. Water quality monitoring costs money, it takes time, and results can be difficult to interpret...

Other Universities and Government Sites
*Links to Non-University of Florida/IFAS sites are provided as
a service and do not imply endorsement of information or products*

Food Security

See the Bioterrorism Act of 2002 website for final rules and information.

   
   

Countering Bioterrorism and Other Threats to the Food Supply with links to many sources of governmental information.

 

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ - Bio & Food Security Preparedness website
   FDACS Food Security Guide

 

 

FEMA - Emergency Preparedness for Families, Individuals, Households and Pets

 

 

 

Food Supply & Water Purification Security Publications from the Counter-Terrorism Training and Resources website.

 

 

Food Safety

The GLOBALGAP website - GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe.

Table of Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for Citrus for the U.S. & Selected Export Markets. Updated June 2009.

Chemical Residue Tolerance Information For:

   The International Maximum Residue Limits Database - USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

   U.S.A. Code of federal regulations - See Title 40 for the official list of MRLs for the U.S.

   EU-MRL Pesticide Database (http://ec.europa.eu/sanco_pesticides/public/index.cfm)

   Japan: The Japan Food Chemical Research Foundation MRL search

      For specific citrus varieties, click on one of the following: Grapefruit, Orange, Lemon, Lime, Other Citrus

      Provisional English translation of the May, 2009 law and related new provisional MRLs
   Canada (at http://www.pmra-arla.gc.ca/english/legis/maxres-e.html)

   Codex Alimentarius (Click for the CODEX Alimentarius home page)

Pesticides & Pesticide Labels:

   US EPA Pesticide Information WebSite

   US EPA Pesticide Product Label System (PPLS) - Images of
       pesticide labels.

   California Department of Pesticide Regulation

   US EPA Registered Pesticides (Maintained by the State of California)

   Crop Data Management Systems, Inc. Full text pesticide labels & MSDSs

Florida Department of Health - "Florida Department of Health Website's mission is to promote and protect the health and safety of all Floridians."

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services -
   FOOD SECURITY GUIDE - For the Public, Producers, Processors, Transporters, and Retailers
   Division of Food Safety
   Food Safety - Food and Meat Inspection

 

Gateway to Government Food Safety Information - "FoodSafety is a gateway website that provides links to selected government food safety-related information. Not every government web site is listed."

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Foodborne Outbreak Response & Surveillance Unit

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Homepage - "The U.S. food safety system is based on strong, flexible, and science-based federal and state laws and industry’s legal responsibility to produce safe foods."
   See also their Food Security and Emergency Preparedness Website

U.S. Centers for Disease Control Home Page 

EPA Office of Pesticide Programs RED page - "Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) documents contain the results of EPA's regulatory reviews of pesticides initially registered before November 1, 1984."

Code of Federal Regulations - "The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is a codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government."

Produce Handling and Processing Practices - In the past decade, outbreaks of human illness associated with the consumption of raw vegetables and fruits (or unpasteurized products produced from them) have increased in the United States.

Emerging Food Borne Diseases - The epidemiology of foodborne disease is changing. New pathogens have emerged, and some have spread worldwide.

 

Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables - Over the last several years, the detection of outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with both domestic and imported fresh fruits and vegetables has increased

Food Safety Research Information Office - The food safety research database is an ongoing effort providing users with information on research projects through the cooperation of government agencies, educational institutions and other organizations.

Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition -"Department of Health and Human Services"

National Food Safety Programs

Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) - US Food and Drug Administration, 
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Washington State University Food Safety - This Workbook was designed to help producers identify sources of potential microbial contamination or pesticide residue in their operations and reduce food safety risks.

Good Agricultural Practices Manual - Manuals in English and Spanish.

Selected Other Sites
*Links to Non-University of Florida/IFAS sites are provided as
a service and do not imply endorsement of information or products*

PrimusLabs.com (http://www.primuslabs.com/) - "For those produce firms in the process of developing safe food production programs, the PrimusLabs.com website provides a free system for designing customized packinghouse and cooling facility: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programs, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)."

Ecolab - Includes information on advanced sanitation technologies, personnel hygiene programs, food surface treatments and food irradiation.

Chlorine Disinfections of Produce Wash water - "Chlorine for disinfection is available in three different physical phases; solid (calcium hypochlorite Ca(OCl)2), liquid (sodium hypochlorite NaOCl or common bleach), and gas (chlorine Cl2)."

Chlorine Handling -  "The Chlorine Chemistry Council® (CCC) strives to achieve policies that promote the continuing, responsible uses of chlorine and chlorine-based products"

See also our General Postharvest Information Section

This website is designed and maintained by: Dr. Mark Ritenour, Ph.D., Steve Sargent, Ph.D. and Jeff Brecht, Ph.D.

Design contributions also provided by: Mike Burton, Ryan Miller & Kenny Osteen. For questions or comments on this page or one of the links, contact Dr. Mark Ritenour