The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued its final food safety guidance for sprout producers, aiming to enhance the safety of this food product following a series of outbreaks associated with sprouts. Sprouts have been linked to numerous foodborne illness outbreaks, including infections caused by Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli, resulting in hospitalizations and deaths.

The FDA’s new guidance document provides comprehensive recommendations for sprout operators to ensure compliance with the sprout portion of the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act. This Act establishes science-based standards for safe produce production and harvest. The key topics covered in the final guidance on sprout production include:

1. Cleaning and Sanitizing: Detailed guidelines for maintaining cleanliness and sanitation in sprout production facilities.
2. Agricultural Water in Sprout Operations: Recommendations for the safe use of water in sprout production.
3. Seeds for Sprouting: Guidelines for the selection and handling of seeds to minimize contamination risks.
4. Environmental Monitoring: Strategies for monitoring and maintaining a safe production environment.
5. Record keeping: Requirements for documenting production processes and ensuring traceability.

Additionally, the FDA has also released a revised draft of a second guidance document. This draft includes a section on testing spent sprout irrigation water for pathogens, with a focus on non-O157:H7 pathogenic E. coli. The agency is actively seeking comments and feedback on this draft guidance.

Between 1996 and 2020, the FDA recorded 52 foodborne illness outbreaks linked to sprouts, leading to thousands of infections, hundreds of hospitalizations, and several deaths. Investigations often revealed contaminated seeds as a source of contamination, along with inadequate sanitation and unhygienic production practices in sprout facilities.

The FDA’s updated guidance aims to address these concerns and create a safer environment for sprout production. Stakeholders and industry professionals are encouraged to submit their comments on the revised draft guidance to the Federal Register within 180 days to ensure their input is considered during the development of the final guidance.

By releasing these comprehensive guidelines, the FDA aims to reduce the risks associated with sprout production and enhance the safety of this popular food product for consumers nationwide.

For More information visit:

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/guidance-industry-standards-growing-harvesting-packing-and-holding-sprouts-human-consumption