Food quality and safety is of growing interest to consumers and thus to regulators. The United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration are leading the way with on-farm and processing guidelines. Here are some links to bring you up to speed on these issues.

Food Recall and Safety Notices

• FDA recall and safety notices
• FoodNet – “The Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) is the principal foodborne disease component of CDC’s Emerging Infections Program (EIP).”
• ProMED – Program for monitoring emerging diseases by the Federation of American Scientists.
• PulseNet – “is a national network of public health laboratories that performs DNA “fingerprinting” on bacteria that may be foodborne. The network permits rapid comparison of these “fingerprint” patterns through an electronic database at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The DNA “fingerprinting” method is called pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). “
• USDA recall notices

Regulations every food producer and processor needs to be familiar with.

FEDERAL

FDA regulations
Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations: 21 CFR 100-169 and 21 CFR 170-199. Sections of Title 21, such as 21 CFR 110.10, can be viewed and printed from the WWW at the following address: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/. You may purchase 21 CFR 100-169 or 21 CFR 170-199 from the U.S. Government Printing Office or by telephone purchase at (202) 512-1800. FDA regulations may also be purchased at local branches of the U.S. Government Printing Office Bookstores.

EPA regulations
EPA regulations may be obtained by contacting the U.S. EPA/NCEPI, P.O. Box 42419, Cincinnati, OH 45242-2419. Telephone: 1-800-490-9198; FAX (513) 489-8695. You must give the EPA catalog number for the publication.

• Electronic versions of additional EPA documents, such as criteria and supporting documents, are available at http://www.epa.gov.

• National Agriculture Compliance Assistance Center. This is a joint project with USDA and it is collecting information on the environmental requirements that affect the agriculture industry. Has listing of best production practices and legislation.

State of Hawaii

Hawaii Department of Agriculture

HIOSH standards
Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division HIOSH standards can be found at http://labor.hawaii.gov/hiosh/

• Information on labor law in Hawaii can be found here at the University of Hawaii Center for Labor Education and Research.
• OSHA and Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Law, HRS 396 (and Title 12, Chapters 50 through 2250 Administrative Rules
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) (Yes you are required to have one of these sheets for each chemical in your possession. This was the number one HIOSH violation in 1998.)

Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
This department can be reached at:  http://labor.hawaii.gov/hiosh/

US Government’s Gateway to Food Safety Information

• This site is a central information system for food safety
•  National Food Safety Database – Managed by the University of Florida

US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Foodborne Illnesses
• Foodborne Outbreaks
• Food Safety

US Department of Agriculture

• Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) – List of commerciall product descriptions.
• Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) effort to discover ways to manage food safety problems – recent article. 
  • Agricultural Marketing Service’s – Quality Through Verification (QTV) program for processors of fruits and vegetables.
• Food Safety Inspection Service – good site to food inspection of various types.
  • FSIS – Food Safety Education
• National Food Safety Database - a collection of food safety resources that can be searched via a database. Maintained by the University of Florida.

US Department of Commerce

•  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Seafood Inspection Program

US Department of Defense

• US Commissaries – Food Safety

US Environmental Protection Agency

• EPA- Agriculture – For current information about food safety programs in EPA.
• Pesticide Information - What every farmer should know.
  • Protecting Children from Pesticides
• Worker Safety and Training - EPA’s Worker Protection Standard (WPS) is a regulation aimed at reducing the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers.

US Food and Drug Administration

• FDA – Food Homepage 
• Food Safety
• The New Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) - In January 2011, President Obama ordered sweeping changes to the nations food safety laws.  The regulations are currently undergoing the review and approval process.

US Institutes of Medicine

• Improving Food Safety Workshop 2012
• Reports by the IOM

Links and publications of interest

• American Medical Association – factsheets written for doctors on how to identify and treat food-borne illness.
• Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – Watch dog group that deals with food safety among other issues.
• Center for Food Safety – “Center for Food Safety (CFS) is a public interest and environmental advocacy organization which works to address the impacts of our food production system on human health, animal welfare and the environment. CFS works to achieve its goals through grassroots campaigns, public education, media outreach, and litigation.”
• Healthfinder – a US government gateway to consumer health
• Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (U of Maryland and FDA)

Food Irradiation 

• Center for Consumer Research (UC Davis) “The Center focuses on consumer attitudes toward food safety and quality. Increased information on consumer attitudes and perceptions can increase the exchange between those who provide goods and services and those who utilize them. Questions and answers about food irradiation and biotechnology.”
• Council for Biotechnology Information – “Biotechnology Information has been founded by leading biotechnology companies to create a public dialogue and share information about biotechnology that is based on objective scientific research, independent expert opinion and peer-reviewed published reports.”
• Ten most common questions about food irradiation – Radiation Information Network – University of Idaho
• EPA - Food Irradiation – Explains the technology that helps to prevent food spoilage and eliminating food-borne pathogens.
• FDA – Food Irradiation – What Consumers need to know.
• USDA -FSIS – Fact Sheet on Irradiation of Foods

• USDA – Biotechnology Regulatory Services
  • Frequently Asked Questions about Biotechnology
• FDA – Food Biotechnology
• EPA’s Regulation of Biotechnology for use in Pest Management
• Alliance for Better Foods - a trade group promoting bio-tech foods.

International Organizations Working on Food Safety

• Australia New Zealand Food Authority – joint project to these two countries.
  • Food Safety in Australia – National site with links.
  • Food Science in Australia – research and private industry website. Great little newsletter.
• Canada’s Food Net – food safety for Canada.
  • Food safety programs for agriculture.
• EUREPGAP- Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group (for fruit and vegetables) in 1997. The objective of the EUREP group, which is made up of leading European food-retailers, is to raise standards for the production of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• European Food Information Council (EUFIC) – “…is an independent, non-profit organization. It has been established to provide consumers, nutrition and health professionals, educators, opinion leaders and the news media, with science-based food information. “
• FAO – Codex Alimentarius – The Codex Alimentarius, or the food code, has become the seminal global reference point for consumers, food producers and processors, national food control agencies and the international food trade.
• Food Navigator – European-Driven Portal on Food Ingredients.
• Food Safety in Australia – National site with links.
• Food Science in Australia – research and private industry website. Great little newsletter.
• European Commission on Food Safety – main focal point for food safety in Europe.
• International Food Information Council – as the name suggests.
• International Fresh-cut Produce Association (the leading industry association for fresh-cut produce). Great publications including information on HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and Voluntary Food Safety Guidelines for Fresh Produce.
• UK’s Food Standards Agency – To “protect public health from risks which may arise in connection with the consumption of food, and otherwise to protect the interests of consumers in relation to food.”
• WHO – Food Safety from the international perspective.
  • National Sanitation Foundation – “NSF has earned the Collaborating Center designations by the World Health Organization (WHO) both for Food Safety and for Drinking Water Safety and Treatment.”
  • World Health Organization’s (WHO) report on Surface Decontamination of Fruits and Vegetables Eaten Raw (PDF file from March 98)

Food Safety in Food Processing Establishments and Trade Associations

• AboutProduce.com – excellent site brought to you by the Produce Marketing Association. Food safety, biotechnology, recipes, produce descriptions – the works!
• American Egg Board – food safety and eggs from the national industry group.
• American Food Safety Institute – The American Food Safety Institute (AFSI) is the nation’s leader in food manager training and certification.
• American Meat Institute (AMI) – AMI is the nation’s oldest and largest meat and poultry trade association. AMI is dedicated to increasing the efficiency, profitability and safety of meat and poultry trade worldwide. Has food safety info for meat!
• Association of Fruit and Vegetable Inspection and Standardization Agencies (AFVIS)
• Fresh Produce and Floral Council – has some very interesting data under “Issues in Food Safety.”
• Food Code of the US – “The Food and Drug Administration publishes the Food Code, a reference that guides retail outlets such as restaurants and grocery stores and institutions such as nursing homes on how to prevent foodborne illness.”
• Food Marketing Institute (FMI) – “The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) is a nonprofit association conducting programs in research, education, industry relations and public affairs on behalf of its 1,500 members including their subsidiaries-food retailers and wholesalers and their customers in the United States and around the world.”
• Foodservice & Packaging Institute (FPI) “is the material-neutral trade association for manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of single-use foodservice products, as well as others associated with the industry. It has numerous resources available on the environment, sanitation, public health, safety, solid waste, recycling, composting or other issues involving the manufacture, use and disposal of foodservice disposables.”
• Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management (HITM) – “More than ever, hospitality operators are realizing that satisfying customers with zero defects in terms of customer needs, wants, and expectations is the key to market success. The Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management (HITM) is a food science-based company for the retail food industry dedicated to” [quality information programs].
• Institute of Culinary Arts – food safety for chefs.
• Institute of Food Technologist (IFT) – Founded in 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists is a nonprofit scientific society with 28,000 members working in food science, food technology, and related professions in industry, academia and government.
• Milk Safety References – at the US Food and Drug Administration.
• National Food Processors Association – Trade group of food processors – they are following food safety very closely.
  • Educational Foundation’s International Food Safety Council.
  • Educational Foundation’s ServSafe educational training system.
• National Food Service Management Institute – Their mission is to provide information and services that promote the continuous improvement of Child Nutrition Programs, including food safety.
• National Restaurant Association – Good advice on how to prepare for a food safety audit.
• Produce Marketing Association (PMA) – trade organization site.
• National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) – “A not for profit organization known around the world for the development of voluntary consensus standards, product testing procedures, and certification services in the areas of public health, safety, and the environment.”
• NFS’s listing of certified cleaners and sanitizes
• Seafood Network Information Center (SeafoodNIC) – Managed by UC Davis.
• United Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association – industry organization heavily involved in food safety.
• Vessel Sanitation Program – The CDC works to make shipboard food safe.
• Western Grower’s Association – large industry group who is working on food safety.

Postharvest Handling Advice

• GAIN’s bookstore listing (of books on postharvest management)
• GAIN’s postharvest guides (most are links to other sites, but they are good)
• FAO’s International Postharvest page (lots of exotics)
• Postharvest and Cooling (technology information site at North Carolina State University)
• UC Davis’ Postharvest page (the page for post harvest info)

Home and Kids Food Safety

• FDA’s – site for Kids, Teens and Educators.
• Food Marketing Institute – food safety advice.
• KidsWorld Food Safety – A fun site for kids brought to you by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

Third-party food safety auditing companies (this is not an endorsement of any kind)

• American Institute of Baking (Manhattan, KS)
• Davis Fresh Technologies (Davis, CA)
• Safe, Quality Foods (Australia’s answer to food quality certification)
• PrimusLabs.com (Santa Maria, CA)
• Scientific Certification Systems (Oakland, CA)