Fresh Trends

A profile of fresh produce consumers.

Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce covers all aspects of produce safety including pathogen ecology, agro-management, pre-harvest and post-harvest interventions, and adverse economic impacts of outbreaks. This most recent edition to the IFT Press book series examines the current state of the problems associated with fresh produce by reviewing the recent, high-profile outbreaks associated with fresh-produce, including the possible internalization of pathogens by plant tissues, and understanding how human pathogens survive and multiply in water, soils, and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Keeping produce safe--from the farm to the fork As health- and quality-conscious consumers increasingly seek out fresh fruit and vegetables, participants in the food supply chain--growers, shippers, processors, and retailers--must be ever more effective in safeguarding their products and protecting consumers. Microbial Hazard Identification in Fresh Fruits and Vegetables is a comprehensive guide for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry to understanding and controlling the hazards that can affect their products on every leg of the journey from farm to fork. From production, harvesting, packing, and distribution to retail and consumer handling, the text highlights food safety hazards and potential areas of microbial contamination, examines food-borne pathogens and their association with produce-related outbreaks over the years, and points out areas for further research to better understand the survival of pathogens on fresh produce throughout the food chain. Particularly valuable to the industry are discussions of: * Food worker hygiene, including control measures and employee training requirements * Major areas of known contamination and mitigation measures * Implementation of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) * Contamination and mishandling during storage and transportation, and in retail display cases * Recommendations for consumer behavior with fresh produce and food handling prior to consumption in the home * A case study of the economic impact of the 2003 green onion food-borne outbreak A comprehensive look at both microbial hazards and available measures for their prevention, this book is an essential reference for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry as well as a practical text for the education and training of scientists, professionals, and staff involved in managing food safety.

Examines the greenhouse tomatoes industry and its effects on the fresh tomatoes industry in North America.

Fashion forecasters combine the views emerging about color and fabric from the early yarn and fabric trade shows with their socio-economic and cultural analysis. Major trends in lifestyles, attitude and culture in particular music, sport, cinema and television are used to predict changing consumer demands. Fashion forecasting involves the following activities such as studying market conditions, noting the life style of the people, researching sales statistics, evaluating popular designer collections, surveying fashion publications, observing street fashions etc.

This book focuses on quality of produce by addressing its various aspects. By applying a disciplinary perspective, we work toward an integrated view, placing papers in the broader context of the processes that are responsible for the supply of fresh produce. While a number of technical papers focus on factors affecting quality, policy issues are also discussed. Several papers link the market performance with the ability of the existing institutional structures to provide incentives to supply the optimal quality produce. The topics covered in this contributed volume address quality issues ranging from cultural practices to postharvest handling, retailing, and home consumption. Perspectives of horticulturists, agronomists, food scientists, engineers, and economists should be looked upon as a system applied to solve practical problems faced by scientists, the produce industry, and policy makers. The immediate benefit of this book is improved understanding of specific quality issues and marketing problems, while suggesting the need for a multidisciplinary approach for optimal solutions. This book is of interest to horticulturists, agronomists, food scientists, engineers, and economists, as well as the produce industry, and policy makers in food quality and safety.