United Fresh Produce Association releases updated Tomato Metrics

United Fresh Produce Association has released the 2011 version of “The Food Safety Programs and Auditing Protocol for the Fresh Tomato Supply Chain”, more commonly referred to as the Tomato Metrics. The re-issue of the Tomato Metrics is the latest in a process initiated in October 2008 to harmonize food safety audit standards for the fresh tomato supply chain. The goal of the Tomato Metrics is to ultimately replace similar yet different audit standards with a single one. The document is available in both English and Spanish.
The Tomato Metrics began in July 2008, with the second edition of the “Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Fresh Tomato Supply Chain”, as a basis to establish “requirements” that were as specific as possible, but taking into consideration different needs based on region, sub-commodity (e.g., round vs. Roma vs. grape or cherry tomatoes), operation size and equivalent growing or handling practices.
The tomato industry reconvened late in 2010 to review the performance of the Tomato Metrics, and concluded that the effort was achieving its goal of harmonizing food safety audits for the covered operations, including greenhouse, open field production, harvest and field packing, packinghouse and repacking and distribution. During the meeting, industry representatives considered recommendations for changes to several of the documents, and accepted several of the recommendations, which are reflected in the latest edition.