MONTEREY, Calif., July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Providing the safest fresh fruit and
vegetables to consumers takes proactive measures to limit contamination at every
stage of the supply chain according to the chief food safety executive for U.S.
Foodservice, one of the country’s leading foodservice distributors.
“The recent outbreaks and recalls linked to produce served as a food
safety wake up call for the produce industry. Since then, many leaders in the
produce industry have been working to solve the issues that contribute to
contamination,” said Jorge Hernandez, senior vice
president of food safety and quality assurance for U.S. Foodservice. “However, the
produce industry can’t do it by itself. It must work collaboratively with the
distributor, restaurant and supermarket industries to create a food safety
culture that will protect fresh fruits and vegetables from farm to fork.”
Speaking at the Produce Marketing Association’s Foodservice Conference
& Exhibition which ran through Sunday, Hernandez asserted most of the factors
that lead to contamination of fresh produce are preventable if the industries
along the supply chain work together.
Hernandez participated in a panel discussion titled
“Point/Counterpoint: Food Safety and Your Business,” which included experts from the buy and
supply side of the produce chain. Dr. Bob
Whitaker, PMA's Chief Science Officer, served as moderator.
According to Hernandez, there are five key measures that will help
reduce outbreaks linked to fresh produce contamination.
- Make food safety non-negotiable.
- Agree on a
strict set of internationally recognized standards validated by reliable
third-party audits and executed by qualified auditors.
- Focus on the food safety
education of all employees at every segment of the supply chain.
- Enable
quick tracking of fresh produce through a recall program that minimizes
customer impact should a contamination occur.
- Work with regulatory agencies to
identify industry members that fail to meet the industry’s commitment to food
safety.
Hernandez also contributed to the
“Executive Invitation Think Tank” hosted in collaboration with leaders from Produce
Marketing Association (PMA), National Restaurant Association and the International
Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA). The session featured top
executives representing restaurant, distributor and produce supplier segments and is part
of a multi-phase project to identify opportunities to increase fresh produce
use in foodservice to promote healthy lifestyles.
In addition to U.S. Foodservice’s efforts to help curb contamination
in the produce supply chain, the company recently launched Operation STEM-ulus to
demonstrate its commitment to helping buy more fresh fruits and vegetables for
Americans in need. The campaign will run from July 15
through October 15 to raise money for Feeding America through the sale of
a comprehensive 336-page cookbook called Recipes from the Heart. Visit
www.fullplatesfulllives.com for more information.
About Jorge Hernandez
Hernandez is a board member of the Produce Marketing Association (PMA),
Global G.A.P., the Global Food Safety Initiative’s Technical Committee and has been
a long-time member of the Conference for Food Protection, a non-profit
organization of regulators, industry, academia, professional organizations and consumers
focused on the development of practices and regulations that ensure food safety
in the United States.
About U.S. Foodservice
U.S. Foodservice is one of the country’s premier foodservice distributors,
offering more than 43,000 national, private label and signature brand items and
an array of services to its more than 250,000 customers across the country.
The company proudly employs 26,000 associates in more than 60 locations nationwide
who are poised to service their customers beyond their expectations. As
industry leaders, with access to resources beyond the ordinary, U.S. Foodservice
provides the finest quality food and related products to neighborhood restaurants,
hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, hotels, government entities and
other eating establishments. To find out how U.S. Foodservice can be Your
partner beyond the plate®, visit www.usfoodservice.com.
SOURCE U.S. Foodservice