The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced new sanitation guidelines to enhance the safety of fresh and frozen berries by addressing potential contamination from enteric viruses like norovirus and hepatitis A. These viruses have caused outbreaks in imported berries, leading the FDA to focus on minimizing risks during berry handling. The strategy emphasizes proper hygiene for pickers, sanitation facilities, cross-contamination control, worker virus monitoring, and understanding virus transmission on berries. The FDA acknowledges the challenge of removing viruses from delicate berries after freezing, as traditional methods aren’t effective. Fresh and frozen berries remain a significant source of enteric viral outbreaks in the U.S., with recent cases linked to organic strawberry growers. The new guidelines aim to make berries safer without using pesticides but by avoiding contamination through better practices. Experts stress the difficulty of these efforts but highlight the need for ongoing research to improve berry safety.
Source: https://www.prevention.com/food-nutrition/a63495144/fda-changes-strategy-prevent-fresh-frozen-berries-contamination