NOGALES, AZ - It’s no secret that food safety and contamination has been an unfortunately frequent topic in covering the fresh produce industry as of late. To help temper this hazard of the job, the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas (FPAA) has announced the incorporation of a Table Top Food Safety Exercise to the approaching Spring Policy Summit 2016.

“While the produce industry has taken great strides to improve food safety, any company may suddenly find itself at the center of an investigation by FDA and CDC,” said Lance Jungmeyer, President of the FPAA, according to a press release. “We hope to give a glimpse into how to be proactive in this kind of situation.”

To do so, the exercise helps participants learn about, and even interact with, the decision-making process that determines if a particular food may be responsible for an outbreak, as well as what necessary steps to take to keep this occurrence under control.

“This is a great opportunity for participants to comprehend the process behind every recall, take preventative actions, and respond timely and appropriately to protect consumers and their business,” Jungmeyer explained.

Moderated by Dr. Ian Williams, this exercise gives members a chance to analyze hypothetical food safety evidence in groups. They will then consider the same scenarios the CDC and FDA have to face when determining how to contain the outbreak.

Dr. Williams is both Chief of the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch at CDC and has been involved in identification and recall of multistate outbreak investigations, bringing in depth experience to the program.

The FPAA’s Spring Policy Summit happens next month, March 15th-16th. This activity will happen on Wednesday, March 16th, as part of its busy agenda covering a number of highly relevant topics, including transportation, infrastructure, international trade, and border banking.

To see a complete description of the two-day event, go to www.freshfrommexico.com.

Fresh Produce Association of the Americas