Foodborne outbreaks appear to increase with more incidences linked to fresh produce and derived food products.
This indicates inadequacies in Food Safety Management Systems (FSMSs), which are currently implemented
in companies along the fresh produce chain. However, the information related to these inadequacies is
restricted and little is known about the status of the FSMS. This paper describes the development of a tool for assessment
of FSMS implemented in the fresh produce chain. The tool consists of indicators and grids to assess activities
that are important for fresh produce, and the system output in terms of microbiological and chemical food safety
(that is, pesticide residues and emerging mycotoxins). Three sets of indicators, one for each stage of the production
chain (primary production, processing and trade), have been validated by experts and tested in companies. The tool
enables an integral and comprehensive assessment of FSMS across the entire supply chain. Users of the tool can identify
improvement opportunities and learn how to develop towards more advanced levels of activities. For research
purposes differences in FSMS can be identified and linked to type of commodity, production system, country, etc.
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