Food Safety Tips for Farmers Markets

Food Safety is receiving more attention then ever - and with good reason. 10 years ago the general public would not be able to pronounce the microbe 'Salmonella', let alone discuss it in general conversation. Food safety outbreaks, such as the recent Salmonella outbreak that occurred in southern Ontario have increased consumer concern with food safety.

As a result, customers such as those that attend farmers markets are far more observant to:

• How you prepare and display your food
  
• The personal habits of yourself and your employees and
  
• The cleanliness and construction of the stand

If customers see things that don't make them happy - it is unlikely they will tell you this… they just won't come back!

Here are some food safety tips for those that sell at and attend farmers markets:

• If a petting zoo is present at the farmers markets, ensure that customers and employees do not touch the pets and then handle food without a hand washing step in between. Hand washing stations should be made available at all farmers markets, particularly those that have petting zoos. Signage should be present to remind people that it is important to wash their hands after handling pets.
  
• Display produce in clean containers, and ensure that these containers do not permit access to pests, e.g. ensure that produce is not placed directly on the ground, limit access of birds to produce, etc.
  
• Ensure that all employees that handle produce are aware of the importance of hand washing, how to wash their hands (soap, water and friction for 20 seconds), and when they need to wash their hands:
  • After going to the washroom
    
  • After touching their face, animals, or any other surface that could contaminate their hands
    
• Ensure that employees touching produce are clean and practice good hygiene
  
• Ensure that produce is not unnecessarily handled. The more produce the handled, the more opportunity it has to become contaminated.

These are just some food safety tips to remember when selling produce directly to consumers. Remember food safety is everyone's responsibility.

To learn more about food safety - make sure you attend the Food Safety session (9am February 15th, 2006) at the annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention at Brock University in St. Catharines. This year's convention runs from February 15th - 16th, 2006.

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