A new study, described as the largest of its kind in the US fresh produce industry, has been unveiled by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), bringing together a number of organisations to back food safety standards in the leafy greens and tomato industries.
The US$9.4m study, to last over three years, brings together the USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), seven universities – led by the University of Maryland – and the fresh produce industry, The Packer reported.
A US$5.4m grant has been released by the USDA for the study, which is being supplemented by US$4m from tomato and lettuce-grower-shippers in the country.
The goal of the project is to use science to provide practical food safety solutions across the leafy green and tomato supply chains, with University of Maryland's Robert Buchanan hoping that the study's findings will be used in the implementation of the National Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.
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