Calling it a “a landmark achievement . . . to improve food safety,” an FDA webpage is hailing the agency’s approval of a antimicrobial treatment that can be used against foodborne pathogens, such as salmonella and E. coli, in agricultural water used to grow produce.
The registration of SANIDATE 12.0 is the result of a collaborative effort between government, academia and industry.
As such it has won the first-ever FDA approval of a treatment for pathogens in agricultural water. It is also the first EPA-registered product to reduce and control foodborne bacterial pathogens in preharvest water.
The product, which kills both bacteria and fungi, eliminates plant pathogens, algae and foodborne bacterial pathogens in pre-harvest irrigation water, drainage water, and ditches.
By treating processing water for fruits and vegetables, it also controls spoilage organisms in water for whole or fresh-cut fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables can be sprayed or submerged for a minimum contact time of 45 seconds, followed by adequate draining.
The use of the newly registered product aligns with FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Preharvest Agricultural Water Final Rule.
Why is this important for consumers
For consumers, this is an important breakthrough. Even though many people equate meat and chicken with foodborne pathogens, the CDC points to produce as the cause of almost half of all foodborne illnesses. That’s followed with dairy and eggs at 20 percent, meat and poultry at 22 percent, and fish and shellfish at just 6 percent.
Why is this so? To begin with, Americans nowadays eat a lot of produce raw. That means the water that’s used on produce crops that will be eaten raw needs to be clean. That’s especially true in the case of farms that both harvest produce and raise animals and in big processing facilities. Cross contamination in these cases is the problem.
In contrast, produce that is cooked before eaten goes through what is called the “kill step,” which kills bacteria and the foodborne contaminants before it’s eaten.
Food-safety scientists say that SANIDATE 12.0 is an option growers and processors can use to make sure the pre-harvest agricultural water they use on crops that are eaten raw meets the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act’s produce rule.
The goal of the rule is threefold: to prevent people getting sick from foodborne pathogens, to prevent produce-related outbreaks, and to reduce water-related risks.
The final rule
Go here to read the FDA’s final food safety rule for water used on crops before they’re harvested.
The effective date for the Final Rule originally was July 5, 2024, but there are currently three different compliance dates, depending on the size of a farm.
°Very Small Farms – April 5, 2027
°Small Farms – April 6, 2026
°All other businesses: – April 7 2025
Food safety tips for produce
Buy produce that is not bruised or damaged.
If you buy precut produce — pineapple chunks, bagged salad greens — select those that are refrigerated or iced.
When bagging your groceries, separate the fresh fruits and vegetables from meat, poultry, and seafood products.
Store perishable fresh fruits and vegetables including strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees F or below.
Make sure to wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with soap and hot water between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, and seafood products and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked.
If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use.
Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating.
Wash all produce thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.
Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, wash it first.
Scrub firm produce such as melons and cucumbers with a clean produce brush.
Dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
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