Testing for Produce and Agricultural Products
Produce is grown in the great outdoors. However, the great outdoors is also a place where produce can be exposed to a variety of chemical and microbiological contaminants from soil, soil amendments, agricultural water, animals, and harvest equipment. Serious foodborne illness outbreaks can result if appropriate measures, confirmed by laboratory testing, are not in place.
Harmonized FDA and USDA Good Agricultural Practices, including FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule, give oversight and recall authority over domestic and imported produce. Laboratory testing is the final preventive measure to assess whether appropriate safety measures are in place. FSNS offers all the testing you need to meet regulatory requirements and verify product compliance.
Laboratory Testing for Produce, Soil Amendments, and Water
We offer a full range of microbiology and chemistry testing to support the produce industry’s food safety programs. Whether it is testing soil amendments and water, pre-harvest tissue testing, or environmental monitoring of your post-harvest packing facility, we have the tools to help verify the compliance of your products and production environment. Testing is done in our North American network of 30+ ISO 17025 accredited labs using validated methods. We provide accurate results with industry leading turnaround time.
Additional Testing and Services to Support the Produce Industry
Agricultural Water Quality:
Microbial agricultural water standards are in place to mitigate the risk of E. coli contamination. Untreated water is particularly vulnerable to external threats, and sample testing must include assessments of geometric mean (GM) and the statistical threshold (STV) values.
Biological Soil Amendments, Including Composting:
Regulations define microbial limits for detectable amounts of bacteria (including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., fecal coliform, and E. coli 0157:H7).
Sprout Irrigation Water:
FDA approves several scientifically validated AOAC testing methods for sprouts, including AOAC Official Method 999.08.; 999.09; 2011.03; & 2016.01.
Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP):
Laboratory testing and records verification throughout the supply chain can help ensure the risk of contamination is low. EAS Consulting Group, A Certified Group Company, provides records verification to help you meet requirements.
On-Farm Inspections:
FSNS and our regulatory partner, EAS Consulting Group, help the produce industry mitigate potentially damaging foodborne illness risks. With regular and comprehensive laboratory testing and compliance assistance when you need it, you can verify product safety and help avoid foodborne illnesses.
Food Safety Certification and Audit Services
FSNS Certification & Audit uses experienced auditors to audit your facility against the top food safety certification platforms in the industry, including SQF, BRCGS Food Safety, and FSSC 22000. We also perform GMP audits for a variety of industries. We focus on delivering the best service possible, which is why our clients give our auditors a 99% satisfaction rate.
Ditch the Spreadsheets and Binders for Good!
Our proprietary Environmental Monitoring and Mapping Application, emma®, automates your EMP and provides real-time data visualization, customizable swabbing plans, and remediation management for failed sites, simplifying your EMP and saving you time and money. It also stores all information securely in the cloud so you can lose the binders for good!
Data to Empower Your Business Decisions
In addition to routine testing, we provide contract research services through FSNS Lab+. Our team of scientists designs and conducts stability studies, shelf-life studies, process validations, microbial strain typing, and other studies that provide the data you need to verify product compliance and confirm the efficacy of your production processes. We communicate with you throughout the process and provide results in terms your team can understand.
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