Title: Garden%20to%20Table
1Garden to Table
Five Steps to Food Safe Fruit and Vegetable Home
Gardening
Project Funded by CSREES/USDA. Project
2003-5111001713
2Objective of Program
- Help gardeners apply Good Agricultural
Practices or GAP to minimize microbial food
safety hazards of home grown fruits and
vegetables from Garden To Table.
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3How did we get here?
- Survey of home gardeners across New England
- On-site, follow-up interviews with home
gardeners in New England
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4What did we find?
- Gardeners need more information to minimize
risk of foodborne illness in home grown fruits
and vegetables from Garden to Table.
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5Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Food Safety
Program
- Original target Commercial growers/harvesters
- Sanitation and food safety program for producers
of fresh fruits and vegetables. - Based on the Guide to Minimize Microbial Food
Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits And Vegetables
produced by the FDA and USDA in 1998. - Rapid changes since.
6Produce Safety Concerns Why now?
- Centers for Disease Control estimates, 1990s,
12 foodborne outbreaks linked to fresh produce.
- 2006 Food commodities associated with largest
illness numbers - Poultry (21), Leafy vegetables (17), fruits or
nuts (16) - 1998-2008 Leafy Greens 1 Outbreaks per CDC
- What does this have to do with your home garden?
7
FDA/CFSAN. 2004. Produce safety from
production to consumption2004 action plan to
minimize foodborne illness associated with fresh
produce consumption. http//www,cfsan.fda.gov/dm
s/prodpla2.html Painter and others.
Attribution of Foodborne Illnesses in the US,
1998-2008. Emerging Infectious Disease
(Internet). 2013, Mar. http//ww.cdc.gov/foodborn
eburden/attribution-1998-2008.html
7Good Agricultural Practices and the Home Gardener
- Home Gardens - many issues the same
- Water safety
- Domestic/Wild animals
- Use of compost
- Use of manure
- Personal hygiene/sanitation
- Post-harvest handling and temperature control
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8Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
- Goal reduce microbial risks in home grown fruits
and vegetables to make produce safer. - Reduce risk of foodborne illness
- Integrate food safety into home gardening
practices
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9Food Safety Review
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10You wont spot unsafe food by using your senses
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From http//lancaster.unl.edu/food/pizza.shtml
11Foodborne Illness Symptoms
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Fever
A tiny taste will not protect you
as few as 10-100 bacteria could make you sick!
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12Foodborne IllnessPeople at Greatest Risk
Infants Children Pregnant women Elderly Peop
le with weakened immune systems
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13Foodborne Illness Dangers
- Cases 48 million per year
- Hospital 128,000 per year
- Deaths 3,000 per year
- Cost Billions
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14Why is this so hard to find? Why dont you know?
- The Food that Made You Ill Is Probably Not the
Last Food that You Ate - Incubation Period
- Norovirus 12-48 hours
- Salmonella 6 to 72 hours
- E. coli O157H7 1 to 10 days
- Listeria 3 to 70 days
- You might not get ill or enough to notice
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From E. Julian talk, 2012, Food Safety conference
15Foodborne IllnessMost likely sources
- Potentially Hazardous Foods
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16Food Safety Hazards3 Types of Contamination
Physical Chemical Biological
Plastic Glass Metal Wood Bandages Jewelry and
other personal items
Allergens Pesticides Sanitizers Lubricants
Parasites Viruses Bacteria
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17Chemical Food Safety Hazards
- Use pesticides according to manufacturers
directions - Keep chemicals in original labeled containers
- Check well water for chemical hazards
- Toxins from mold
- - e.g. patulin in apples
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18Biological Food Safety Hazards What are the
differences?
- Parasites
- Viruses
- Bacteria
Cryptosporidium parvum
Norwalk virus
Salmonella spp.
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19Sources of Biological Contamination
- Animals (wild and domestic, and manure)
- People
-
- Environment
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20Source of harmful bacteria/viruses in
fruits/vegetables
- Animal/human intestinal tract
- Salmonella
- E.coli O157H7
- Human
- Shigella
- Hepatitis A virus
- Norovirus
- Staphylococcus
- Environment
- Listeria
- Clostridium
- E.coli O157H7
- Water
- Most of the above
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21To Grow, Bacteria Need
- Food source
- Moisture
- Low in acidity (high pH)
- Oxygen
- Correct temperature
- Time to grow
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22To Grow, Bacteria Need The Right Temperature
140 º F
Danger Zone
40 ºF
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23Potential Sources of Contamination for Home-grown
Produce
- Soil
- Water
- Manure/Compost
- Wild and Domestic Animals
- Personal Hygiene/Sanitation
- Containers
- Wash and Rinse Water/Inadequate drying
- Post-harvest handling and temperature control
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24Five Steps to Food Safe Home Gardening
- Step 1 - Preparing the garden for planting
- Step 2 - Maintaining the garden
(planting/growing) - Step 3 - Harvesting garden produce
- Step 4 - Storing garden produce
- Step 5 Preparing and serving
garden produce
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25Personal hygiene
Important at all steps
- Proper handwashing - after working in the garden,
using the bathroom, and before preparing fruits
and vegetables - Be aware if illness symptoms. If ill, especially
diarrhea, have someone else do the gardening. - Cover open cuts and sores
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26Preparing garden for planting Use of Manure
While animal manure can provide nutrients, it
can also be a source human pathogens. Fresh
manure not recommended for use, however
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27Preparing Garden for Planting Manure
If used, be aware
- Best if manure thoroughly composted
- Apply fresh manure in the late fall, after
harvest - If using fresh manure just prior to growing
season - Spread two weeks before planting
- NO harvesting until 120 days after application
- Incorporate into soil NO sidedressing
- Avoid root or leafy crops year of manure
application - Do not touch edible crop portion
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28Is 120 days even enough?
- 2013 Study Concludes Need to be aware of hazards
associated with using raw manure to fertilize
home gardens. - Salmonella isolated from manure horses, wild
turkeys. - Salmonella isolated from garden soil horse
manure source? - Viable Salmonella species persisted for 210 days
beyond 120 day standard of NOP. - Education of public of potential safety hazards
using raw manure - Other studies have shown the same!
Jay-Russell and others. 2013. Salmonella
oranienburg isolated from horses, wild turkeysand
an edible home garden fertilzied with horse
manure. Zoonoses and Public Health. Doi
10.111/zph.12043
29Preparing Garden for Planting Compost
- Properly managed compost can produce a safe
product
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30Preparing Garden for Planting Compost
Pathogens can be present in compost materials
with more in animal waste and meat/dairy scraps.
What should you do?
- Animal waste or meat/dairy scraps should not be
added - higher pathogens and odor - Certain animal waste (poultry, horse, goat) used
with caution - No manure from carnivorous animals (dog, cat)
31Preparing Garden for Planting Compost
What should you do?
- Temperature should be at least 131oF for 15 days
to destroy pathogens - Unsure? Apply in fall after harvest for next
planting season. - Size at least 27 cubic feet - smaller needs
more attention to get heat. - Turn turn pile regularly to aerate
- Turning regularly aerates
- Selects breakdown microorganisms
- Generates heat to destroy pathogens
- Produces fertile soil amendment.
32Maintaining the Garden Water Safety
- Water can be a source of a variety of pathogens.
- Know the source of
water used for your
garden.
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33Maintaining the Garden Water Safety
- Municipal or public water systems - best source
and lowest risk of water for any use. - Surface water (lakes, ponds or streams) more
likely to have microbial contaminants - Private wells from ground water - safe if tested
annually - Use only clean, potable/drinkable water to water
or wash produce close to or at harvest and during
post-harvest handling.
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34Maintaining the Garden Water Safety -
Protecting well water
- Keep away from pollution sources
- Check well casing, cap, age, type, depth
- Test 1-2 times/year
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35Maintaining the Garden Water Safety by Testing
- Where can you go to get water tested?
- RIDOH water testing
- Private, certified testing labs
- uri.edu/wq/has/PDFs/standards.pdf
- www.health.ri.gov/labs - certified labs
- private well testing
- analytical
36Maintaining the Garden Water Safety -
Protecting Water
- Backflow What is it?
- Occurs when contaminated water (non-potable)
gets drawn into or flows back into clean water
(potable) supply - Example Back Siphoning
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37Maintaining the Garden Water Safety -
Protecting Water
- Disconnect sprayers or chemical containers
from a hose attached to an outside faucet after
use - Purchase backflow prevention devices
- Hardware store, plumbing supply
- Hose bib for end of hose
- Consult plumber, check building codes.
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38Examples of Hose Bibs
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39Maintaining the Garden Wild and Domestic Animals
- Animals are a source of pathogens
- Keep pets out of garden
- Deter wild animals
- Minimize vegetation around gardens
- Deterrents - fencing, noise
- New ideas garden shops
- Call Cooperative Extension for help
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40Maintaining the Garden Organic Gardening
- Microbial food safety issues are a problem
whether a gardener uses organic or conventional
gardening methods. - Microorganisms are in the environment - air, soil
or water. - Five Steps to a food safe home
garden must still be followed
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41Harvesting Garden Produce
Humans are major source of disease transmission
in food.
- Personal hygiene washing, covering wounds
- Change, wash dirty clothes/shoes after working in
the garden - Harvest using clean,
food-grade containers
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42Harvesting Garden Produce
- Dispose of damaged fruit
- Dont eat directly from the garden! Properly wash
all fruits and vegetables - prior to eating
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43Post-harvest Handling Storage/Washing
Keys to storage and safety/quality
- Ripen some produce before refrigeration e.g.
apples, tomatoes, melons. - Store certain produce in cool, dry, well
ventilated, clean places e.g. onions, potatoes. - Store produce above meat, poultry, fish - avoid
cross-contamination by separation. - Look for signs of spoilage - throw out
- Refrigerate raw pre-cut or cooked produce in
covered containers - See chart for different storage conditions
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44Post-harvest Handling Storage/Washing
Should you wash produce after harvest and
before storage ?
- To Wash or Not to Wash
- That is the Question?
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45Post-harvest Handling Storage/Washing
- Washing before storage requires thorough drying
to prevent spoilage and mold growth - Not washing before storage - shake, rub, brush
dirt off. Refrigerate in clean, plastic bags. - Some produce should not be washed
before refrigerated storage (e.g. berries) - See chart for recommendations
- Always wash just prior to eating
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46Post-harvest Handling Washing
- Very cold water may cause pathogens to be
absorbed into the produce through stem or blossom
end - Wash water should not be more then 10 degrees
colder then the produce. -
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47Post-harvest Handling Preparing
- Practice good personal hygiene.
- Wash hands before preparation
- Wash produce in cool, clean running water just
before eating or preparing to help remove
filth and bacteria
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48Post-harvest Handling Preparing
- Do not use soap or detergent
- Bleach not recommended for home use
- Wash/scrub the skin/rind with brush to help
minimize filth or bacteria transfer to eatable
portion
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49Post-harvest Handling Preparing/Serving/Preservin
g
- Cut away bruised or damaged areas
- Avoid cross-contamination
- Keep work area and utensils clean.
- Refrigerate cooked
- leftovers in covered
- container
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50USDA Endorsed Preservation Resources
National Center for Home Preservation http//www.
uga.edu/nchfp/index.html
Home Food Preservation Resources for Safe Food
Preservation http//foodsafety.cas.psu.edu/preserv
e.html
Home Canning.com (Ball/Kerr) http//www.homecannin
g.com/usa/ URI Food Safety Website http//web.uri
.edu/foodsafety/foodPreservation/
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51Key Food Safety Principles for Home-grown Fruits
and Vegetables
- Practice safe soil preparation prior to planting
- Apply manure safely no side dressing
- Compost thoroughly consider in place of raw
manure - Practice safe garden maintenance during planting
and growing of fruits/vegetables - Keep animals out
- Clear perimeter garden lessen rodent nests
- Keep decaying produce out of garden lessen
animal attraction - Use clean water for irrigation
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52Key Food Safety Principles for Home-grown Fruits
and Vegetables
- Practice safe harvest and post-harvest handling
including - Good personal hygiene
- Time and temperature control
- Cross-contamination prevention
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53Questions ???
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