Good Agricultural Practices –.docVIP

Good Agricultural Practices – Summary of Guidance on Irrigation Water Quality Leslie D. Bourquin Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Michigan State University Extension Michigan State University August, 2009 Summary Under certain circumstances, irrigation water used for fruit and vegetable crops can be a potential source of contamination with microbial pathogens that cause human illnesses. This document reviews guidelines on irrigation water quality and practices that have been described in Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) guidance documents in recent years. It is important to note that, in most cases, these GAPs guidance documents do not carry any force of law or contract, and serve merely as recommended best practices for the industry. Further, the GAPs guidance contained in most of these documents is generic and does not provide quantitative metrics for producers to target. Concerning potential food safety risks associated with irrigation water sources and practices, several factors are important. These include, among other factors, the nature of the crop being produced, the source of irrigation water, the method and timing of irrigation, and other potential sources of microbial contamination in the immediate vicinity or watershed. Producers of fresh and minimally-processed fruits and vegetables should complete a risk assessment to determine potential hazards associated with their irrigation water sources and practices, and implement strategies to minimize the risk of microbial contamination of their produce. Introduction Foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables continue to be a significant concern for the produce industry. Most of these outbreaks have been traced to contamination of fresh produce with microbial pathogens arising from either animal or human feces. In some cases, this fecal contamination occurs via poor practices, such as fertilizing produce fields with untreated manure or inappropriately