Food Safety Implications of Increased Consumption of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Justification of a Sole Source Award to The Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) to conduct a workshop on produce safety, particularly as it affects the National School Lunch Program In accordance with FAR 6.302-1, as authorized by 41 U.S.C. 253(c)(1) only one responsible source based on submission of an unsolicited proposal, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service intends to award a contract for less than $50,000 to the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) to conduct a workshop that will identify for FNS the food safety risks of, and mitigation steps for, the increased quantity in fresh fruits and vegetables served in the National School Lunch Program. JIFSAN is uniquely qualified for this award because it is a partnership between the University of Maryland (UMD) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which gives it the strength of the food science faculty at UMD and direct access to the scientists at FDA, who will play a pivotal role in helping to identify the risks and mitigation steps for fresh produce in school food service. JIFSAN has conducted many programs in risk assessment, awarded three grants to researchers working on fresh produce safety issues, and evaluated public health impacts and cost effectiveness of implementing good agricultural practices (GAPs) JIFSAN has a train-the-trainer program on GAPs that focuses on teaching the principles and practices of GAPs to reduce microbial hazards in fresh produce. Furthermore, JIFSAN has supported two research symposia on fresh produce: "Safety Inspection of Fresh-Cut Fruits and Vegetables Using Spectral Sensing and Machine Vision Techniques," and "Influence of Pre-Harvest Antibiotic Pesticide Treatment on the Microflora of Apple and Pear Blossoms, Leaves, Fruit, and Cider and its Implications for Food Safety." Both of these symposia were offered by some of the best scientists at FDA and other institutions. The Associate Director of JIFSAN is an FDA scientist who assures that work done by JIFSAN advances the mission of FDA, who is concerned with and regulates the safety of fresh produce. Organizations/firms can contact the contracting officer with qualifications meeting this requirement on or before September 9, 2009.