WASHINGTON, DC - In response to a newly released strategy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) focused on preventing foodborne illnesses linked to fresh and frozen berries, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) commended the agency for working closely with industry over the past several years to develop this comprehensive strategy. This prevention strategy provides an opportunity for greater global cooperation to manage enteric viruses on berries. Preventing food safety issues is of the highest priority for the industry, and IFPA appreciated the FDA’s acknowledgment in their report that there have been no enteric virus outbreaks associated with domestic berries in the past 35 years.
“We thank the FDA for their partnership and transparency in the reports released today,” said IFPA Chief Food Safety and Regulatory Officer Natalie Dyenson in a press release. “Ensuring the safety of public health is foundational to IFPA’s food safety philosophy. As part of this, we, along with our members, often collaborate with regulatory agencies to provide industry perspectives so that any guidance or regulations are practical and workable in line with current practices. We appreciate the FDA’s request and inclusion of our feedback, especially as they acknowledged the limitations of the current testing methodologies and sampling assignments. We look forward to more opportunities to collaborate with the FDA to ensure that consumers have confidence in the fresh fruits and vegetables they enjoy every day.”
Further information can be found on the FDA’s website where they published the constituent update announcing the release of their Berry Prevention Strategy which focuses on reducing viral outbreaks linked to fresh and frozen berries. In addition, the FDA released the final report on the frozen berry sampling assignment which was conducted 2019-2023.
