The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released final guidance for manufacturers and processors of ready-to-eat fresh-cut produce, including recommendations for controlling biological food safety hazards and complying with the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF) rule. 

The guidance applies to fresh fruits and vegetables that have been physically altered from their whole state—such as chopped lettuce, sliced cantaloupe, diced onions and shredded carrots—and are distributed in fresh form. The final guidance reflects comments received on FDA’s 2018 draft and replaces the agency’s 2008 fresh-cut produce guidance. 

This guidance provides recommendations and examples to help fresh-cut processors implement applicable requirements under 21 CFR Part 117, including hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls. 

Click here to see the full constituent update.

Click here to see the final guidance.