This guidance covers fresh-cut fruits and vegetables that have been minimally processed (e.g., no lethal kill step), and altered in form, by peeling, slicing, chopping, shredding, coring, or trimming, with or without washing or other treatment, prior to being packaged for use by the consumer or a retail establishment.
FDA encourages fresh-cut produce processors to take a proactive role in minimizing microbial food safety hazards potentially associated with fresh-cut produce. We recommend that fresh-cut processors consider a preventive control program to build safety into the processing operations for fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.
This guidance begins with a discussion of primary production and harvesting of fresh produce in Chapter IV and continues with recommendations for fresh-cut processing in four areas-- (1) personnel health and hygiene, (2) training, (3) building and equipment, and (4) sanitation operations. Following this discussion, the guidance covers fresh-cut produce production and processing controls from product specification to storage and transport. The final chapters provide recommendations on recordkeeping and on recalls and tracebacks.