Continuing food poisoning outbreaks around the globe have put fresh produce safety at the forefront of food research. Global Safety of Fresh Produce provides a detailed and comprehensive overview of best practice for produce safety throughout the food chain, and unique coverage of commercial technologies for fresh produce safety. Part one covers the production and regulation of fresh produce on the agricultural level, including issues of niche farm fresh products, FDA regulation, and zoonotic transfer of pathogens from animals to farm products. Part two moves on to look at safety and environmental issues surrounding fresh produce processing, such as postharvest washing, alternative sanitizers, and using produce waste as animal feed. Part three focuses on current and emerging commercial solutions for fresh produce safety, like ionizing radiation and edible coatings, and part four covers methods of laboratory testing and related legislation. The final section of the book covers a series of case studies of fresh produce safety breaches, including European E. coli outbreaks in sprouts and leafy greens, and the illegal use of fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) in China. This book is an essential text for R&D managers in the fresh produce industry, quality control professionals working with fresh produce throughout the food chain, postgraduate students, and academic researchers with an interest in fresh produce safety. - Provides a comprehensive overview of best practice for produce safety - Examines the production and regulation of fresh agricultural produce - Looks at safety and environmental issues surrounding fresh produce processing

Despite a worldwide increase in demand for fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, in many countries these products are prepared in uncontrolled conditions and have the potential to pose substantial risk for consumers. Correspondingly, researchers have ramped up efforts to provide adequate technologies and practices to assure product safety while keeping n

This book provides an overview of issues associated primarily with food safety, shelf-life assessment and preservation of foods. Food safety and protection is a multidisciplinary topic that focuses on the safety, quality, and security aspects of food. Food safety issues involve microbial risks in food products, foodborne infections, and intoxications and food allergenicity. Food protection deals with trends and risks associated with food packaging, advanced food packaging systems for enhancing product safety, the development and application of predictive models for food microbiology, food fraud prevention, and food laws and regulations with the aim to provide safe foods for consumers. Food Safety and Protection covers various aspects of food safety, security, and protection. It discusses the challenges involved in the prevention and control of foodborne illnesses due to microbial spoilage, contamination, and toxins. It starts with documentation on the microbiological and chemical hazards, including allergens, and extends to the advancements in food preservation and food packaging. The book covers new and safe food intervention techniques, predictive food microbiology, and modeling approaches. It reviews the legal framework, regulatory agencies, and laws and regulations for food protection. The book has five sections dealing with the topics of predictive microbiology for safe foods; food allergens, contaminants, and toxins; preservation of foods; food packaging; and food safety laws.

This volume addresses the challenges of the short shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Innovative packaging technologies are the most promising strategies for overcoming these limitations. This book provides a host of sustainable packaging solutions that deliver protection, branding, consumer attractiveness, and speed to market in a competitive retail environment. Key features of the book: • Provides an informative overview of fruit and vegetable requirements and available packaging materials and systems • Provides an understanding of the fundamentals of the impact of packaging on the quality and safety of fruits and vegetables • Covers the fundamental aspects of packaging requirements, including mathematical modeling and mechanical and engineering properties of packaging materials • Presents an in-depth discussion of innovative packaging technologies, such as MA/CA packaging, active packaging, intelligent packaging, and eco-friendly materials applied to fruit and vegetables • Looks at packaging design for better environmental and economic performance