Cleanliness of Produce Draws New Attention

Lettuce crops are see in Salinas, Calif. on Monday, Sept. 18, 2006. Grocers tried to lure shoppers with alternative greens, as a national recall of spinach because of an E. coli outbreak continues. The popularity of bagged salad greens has been a boom to farmers who are now suffering from the outbreak which has been traced to packaged spinach. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) (Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP)

In March, the agency issued draft guidance for the safe production of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. Last month, the agency issued what it called the Lettuce Safety Initiative. It calls for visits to farms and packing operations so staff can monitor potential trouble spots and offer recommendations on reducing food contamination.

But warning letters and guidance are not enough, the consumer groups say. They contend many producers never hear of the recommendations, and that means the level of food safety remains hazardous and deadly.

"When it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, no one is in charge of food safety on the farm," Smith DeWaal said.

Jim Gorny, senior vice president of food safety and technology for the United Fresh Produce Association, said testing at produce plants would be burdensome and ineffective.

"One hundred percent inspection is no way to run a food safety program," Gorny said.

Gorny said the produce industry met with Brackett after getting the FDA's letter. The producers came up with a four-part plan that revolves around outreach programs to farmers and packagers so that they know the best practices to avoid contamination. They also want more federal funding for research programs.

"We don't feel it's a lack of compliance," Gorny said. "It's a lack of knowledge. That's what really needs to be attacked."

Smith DeWaal said that a major E. coli outbreak in 1993 brought about a zero-tolerance policy for the meatpacking industry. Now, government inspectors monitor every meatpacking plant, she said.

But Ewen Todd, director of the National Food Safety and Toxicology Center at Michigan State University, said a much different approach is used for fruits and vegetables.

"The USDA will have people in the plants. The FDA doesn't do that. They have to rely more on the producer and supplier to generate paperwork that shows they're doing the right thing," Todd said.