Food Safety
Crop Safety
Crop safety is the top priority of the California peach, plum and nectarine industry – because our livelihoods depend on it, and moreover, because it’s the right thing to do. Our growers and shippers use training, testing, tools and materials - from the orchard to the packing line - to produce a safe and healthy product.
Food Safety
California peaches, plums and nectarines have never been implicated in a foodborne illness outbreak, and it’s of utmost importance to the California peach, plum and nectarine industry that our excellent food safety record is maintained.
A Low-Risk Food
Research conducted by the University of California classes peaches, plums and nectarines as low-concern status when it comes to microbial food safety. Peaches, plums and nectarines grow on trees and thus have low risk of waterborne contamination.
In the Orchard & Packinghouse
Food safety starts on the farm, where growers use good growing practices like regular tests of irrigation water for contamination, orchard undergrowth management to minimize insect and animal pest pressure, and worker training in safety and sanitation practices. California has the strictest standards in the nation regarding field sanitation and worker hygiene and the strictest enforcement of those standards.
In the packinghouse, workers are also trained in safety and sanitation practices. Many organizations employ third-party consultants to assist them in implementing customized product safety measures. These organizations perform third-party audits to assure that safety and sanitation practices are followed.
Crop Management
The California peach, plum and nectarine industry is an award-winning leader in research and use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM systems use cultural and biological pest control methods to control pests and diseases whenever possible and seek to reduce the use of conventional pesticides. IPM methods are used by conventional and organic growers alike.
Working closely with the University of California, California’s fresh peach, plum and nectarine industry also funds ongoing research on good growing practices, pest control, irrigation, fertilization and post-harvest handling to discover better, safer, reduced-input ways to produce peaches, plums and nectarines.
Pesticide Use & Regulation
The California peach, plum and nectarine industry remains mostly a family business, with many growers living and working on farms surrounding their homes, within a community that includes many similar farms and families in which the fruit in the orchard is also on the family’s table. This proximity is strong motivation to use the safest tools and most up-to-date research to control pests and tree diseases on the farm.
Additionally, California has the world's strictest safety regulations concerning the use of agricultural pesticides. There are laws that govern what chemicals can be used, how much can be applied, when it can be applied and how it is applied. In California, growers are required to obtain a permit each time they apply a chemical to their orchard, which is filed with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation. This system is unique to California and ensures that pesticides are applied only when necessary and in a safe manner.
California safety regulations are also designed to protect workers when pesticides are applied. Workers are required to wear protective clothing and may only apply products under the direction of a licensed pest control advisor or operator. There is always a period of time, usually a week or more, after the application when workers are not allowed to enter the orchard.
Residue Studies
The California Tree Fruit Agreement, California Department of Pesticide Regulation and USDA conduct regular studies for pesticide residue on fruit. These tests are so sensitive that the detection level is equivalent to identifying one drop of water in a residential-sized swimming pool. If found to be present at all, residues on peaches, plums and nectarines are significantly below levels considered safe by the World Health Organization and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Traceback Capability
The California tree fruit industry has long had a system in place to trace fruit back to the orchard where it was grown. Identifying the fruit grower and packer starts with information printed on every fruit container. Each box is stamped with a marking that contains a series of numbers. This series includes the date and packer identification number and a grower lot identification marking. Those numbers, along with the information on the box label, can be used to quickly locate the fruit packer. Many packinghouses also stamp separate numbers on the box that identify each individual grower and the specific orchard in which the fruit was grown.
In tests performed on fruit samples taken from retail stores throughout the U.S., it has taken less than 5 minutes to identify the packer, grower and orchard where the fruit was grown. In the unlikely event that fresh peaches, plums or nectarines cause an illness, this traceback system could quickly identify the source. This helps protect consumers and ensures that unaffected growers and packers could continue shipping peaches, plums and nectarines.
Food Safety Finishes at Home
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, washing fresh produce before eating is a healthful habit. The FDA recommends produce be washed in running cold or warm water and scrubbed with a clean vegetable brush. Do not use soap, as fruits and vegetables are porous and can absorb it.
Additionally, to avoid cross-contamination during food preparation, keep fresh produce strictly separated from all potential contact with food items such as raw chicken, meat, seafood and eggs, unless it is being cooked with these items.