While primarily working remotely, the Food Systems and Safety Program Team has utilized technology to continue to provide food safety guidance for stakeholders. Since March 23rd, the team has maintained contact via phone or email with over 140 stakeholders. Essential on-premise work continues (while following all social distancing protocols) for product testing under the Food2Market and Aquaponics programs. The Food2Market in-person workshop that was scheduled for April 24th has been rescheduled as a Zoom meeting. The Food2Market team has been working to redesign this workshop to continue to connect food entrepreneurs with food science and regulation experts and reinforce the information they learned in the seven-week online course. The FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) team will be holding a Preventive Control for Human Food Course next week (April 14-16) via Zoom to ensure that this regulation information is still reaching stakeholders, and preparations are in place to hold online Produce Safety Rule trainings soon as well. The team has also prepared several communications regarding food safety and COVID-19. Links to these resources are found below and on the team website. The Food Systems and Safety Program Team meets weekly via Zoom to discuss activities and provide support to each other on current projects. The team also held its first “Happiness Hour” on April 7th, which was a social time for the team to meet and discuss some of the great things members have going on outside of work.
I am so proud of our team and all of the wonderful work they are doing during this time.
Food Safety and COVID-19: https://hgic.clemson.edu/food-safety-and-covid-19/
COVID-19, Farms and Food Safety: https://hgic.clemson.edu/covid-19-farms-and-food-safety/
COVID-19 Food Safety Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRzcAZP3P74&t=5s
How to Wash Produce to Prevent COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8zXkxF_L4k
Tips for Cleaning and Sanitizing and COVID-19: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p7XJoGURBE
New York Post – A Comprehensive Guide To Avoiding the Grocery Store and Pharmacy: https://nypost.com/2020/04/06/a-comprehensive-guide-to-avoiding-the-grocery-store-and-pharmacy/
International Business Times – A Guide to Avoiding Pharmacies and Grocery Stores without Sacrificing Your Needs: https://www.ibtimes.com/guide-avoiding-pharmacies-grocery-stores-without-sacrificing-your-needs-2954886
Food52.com – Do You Really Need to Disinfect Your Groceries Right Now?: https://food52.com/blog/25183-how-to-wash-produce-during-coronavirus
Submitted by: Dr. Kimberly Baker
Food Systems and Safety Program Director
