The FDA has released an assessment that evaluates the risk of human illnesses associated with the use of untreated manure on soil used for growing produce.
The release by the Food and Drug Administration includes more than 2,000 pages of supporting documents. The documents date back to 2009.
According to the FDA, the risk assessment will be used to make policy decisions regarding the standards for using raw manure and other untreated biological soil amendments of animal origin (BSAAO) when growing produce. The risk assessment model may also serve as a tool for industry in evaluating risks that may be associated with their agricultural practices and environmental conditions.
It is a regular practice for growers to use raw manure on fields that are used to grow produce that is eaten raw, such as lettuce and melons. Many foodborne illness outbreaks have been attributed to lettuce and melons.
Currently, there are no regulations for waiting periods for the application of raw manure and the planting and harvesting of produce.
“The main conclusion of this risk assessment is that extending the time between the application of untreated BSAAO and produce harvest significantly reduces the potential level of human pathogens on produce at the time of harvest,” according to the FDA.
“The effectiveness of this waiting period varied among the human pathogens analyzed and type of untreated BSAAO, as influenced by regional environmental conditions and the initial level of human pathogens in the raw manure.”
In 2013, the FDA initially proposed a produce safety rule with a 9-month waiting period for using certain untreated manure and other biological soil amendments of animal origin. However, after receiving industry and public comments, the FDA did not finalize that requirement.
The final rule does not include a specific waiting period, instead reserving a provision for a potential future standard. The risk assessment does not say that there will definitely be a rule on waiting periods for the application of manure on growing fields.
“We have deferred action on an application interval or intervals until we have completed certain steps. We have recently completed a risk assessment and supporting research to supplement science on understanding what effectiveness the integration of an appropriate interval or intervals may have on protecting public health,” according to the FDA.
The FDA plans to rely heavily on input from industry comments in considering whether to institute a rule about a waiting period. The agency intends to:
- Provide stakeholders with data and information gathered from scientific investigations and risk assessment;
- Consider such data and information to develop policy decisions from the science-based conclusions;
- Follow traditional rulemaking procedures which will provide an opportunity for public and industry comment on our tentative decisions; and
- Consider public and industry input before considering implementation of a final provision establishing an appropriate minimum application intervals.
In addition to not having a rule about waiting periods between the application of manure and the planting and harvesting produce, the FDA does not have any pathogen testing requirements for manure used on growing fields.
The survival rate of pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella from untreated manure and their risks of contaminating crops are determined by various factors, including environmental conditions and agricultural practices. The FDA’s risk assessment investigated these factors and provides critical insights essential for protecting the nation’s produce supply, according to the FDA.
The untreated manure risk assessment was completed in two phases.
Part 1 focused on pre-harvest practices and conditions to determine the likelihood of produce being contaminated with pathogens before it is picked. It specifically analyzes how interventions, such as the waiting period between applying untreated BSAAO and harvesting the crops, affect the potential concentration of pathogens on the produce at the time of harvest.
Part 2 modeled the path of potentially contaminated produce from the farm through the supply chain to the consumer. It includes processing activities, potential for cross-contamination during processing, transportation and storage, produce consumption, and the amount of pathogen exposure from E. coli O157:H7 and non-O157 and Salmonella, required to cause illness through consumption of the produce commodity.”
Author: Coral Beach
Source: Food Safety News
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