Development and Implementation of Innovative Food Safety Training Tools for the Production and Distribution of Microgreens

The long-term goal of this Collaborative Education and Training Project is to decrease potential food safety risks related to the production and distribution of microgreens--an emerging salad crop for which minimal information is available. A first step to achieving this goal is to characterize production practices, facilities, and distribution aspects of the microgreens industry. An intermediate step will be to develop i) novel food safety outreach 'add-on' curriculum targeting the niche group of microgreens producers and ii) guidance documents for buyers and regulators of microgreens. The add-on curriculum aims to facilitate integration of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety rule among microgreen growers across the United States. The five primary objectives to achieve our long-term goal are:Characterize production and distribution aspects of the microgreens industry.Determine barriers to implementation of risk management practices within microgreens operations using environmental assessments.Utilize science-based evidence to develop commodity-specific training for producers of microgreens.Utilize science-based evidence and regulatory standards to develop commodity-specific guidance documents for buyers and regulators of microgreens.Deliver and evaluate novel outreach materials targeting producers, buyers, and regulators of microgreens.