The production of safe fruits and vegetables requires farmers to manage potential sources of foodborne pathogens, from keeping uncomposted or raw manure out of fields where crops are being sown to washing produce in clean, uncontaminated water at harvest. In Nepal, demand for fresh produce has been rising due to an increased awareness of its nutritional benefits. Growers and extension agents now have a new resource to understand the risks and steps they can take to safeguard fruits and vegetables: a grower’s manual created by a project funded by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety.
Safeguarding fruits and vegetables from foodborne pathogens can seem like a daunting proposition. Contamination can occur at any stage from farm to table—from sources including animal feces in the field, irrigation and wash water, harvesting containers, or infected workers—and it can lead to serious foodborne illnesses.