Resources for Commercial Growers

Food Safety & Best Practices

Follow basic food safety requirements:

  • Inform local or CFIA inspectors about your operation. They will schedule an inspection
  • Growing and packaging need to be in separate rooms or designated areas
  • Must have clean up sink in growing area or separate sinks for cleanup and hand washing
  • Worker hygiene for those involved in packing (good hand washing practices and sanitary knives, scissors etc.)
  • Sanitize equipment Seed safety- keep records of supplier’s pathogen test results Control of birds, rodents and flies
  • Proper cleaning and sanitation of harvest and packing tables, scale tops, and any reusable containers
  • Water quality (test water) For water testing, each Public Health Unit in Ontario will accept water samples and provides bottles and information on sampling. The municipal water test is a basic test for potability of drinking water ( non-municipal water) and is a free service (you have to take the water sample and bring it to them). Here is the link http://www.oahpp.ca/services/water-testing.html
  • For more comprehensive water testing or other purposes (e.g. surface water testing for irrigation water) a number of private labs are available for water testing.)
Resources

CFIA’s Code of Practice for the Hygienic Production of Sprouted Seeds http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/frefra/safsal/sprointe.shtml (Has been archived since SFCR came into effect, but still has good info.)

OMAFRA’s Sprouted Seeds Good Manufacturing Practices Guidebook
available in print only – contact Bengt Schumacher – bengt.schumacher@ontario.ca

SSFPA’s ABCs of HACCP
Register for “A BC HACCP Plan” home study program, complete a training program for food processing workers, watch a video series on how to develop a recall plan, and learn about about the critical role of traceability in modern food safety management systems. For more info visit the Small Scale Food Processor Association. 

Commercial Microgreens: Production and Best Practices (Government of Alberta)
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/e37f6095-180c-4863-9f1a-e3ad1292433b

HACCP Generic Model for Sprouts Grown in Water, CFIA: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/archived-food-guidance/safe-food-production-systems/haccp-generic-models-and-guidance-documents/generic-model-sprouts/eng/1368630463879/1368630464660 (Has been archived since SFCR came into effect, but still has good info.)

IFSH: Sprout Safety Alliance Resources:
https://www.ifsh.iit.edu/ssa