Mango Food Safety Conference

The NMB’s inaugural Mango Food Safety Conference was a free information sharing event which took place on March 6, 2013, at the McAllen Convention Center in McAllen, TX. This conference focused on providing attendees with information about food safety guidelines and standards, areas of opportunity for the mango industry, a broader view of the field, and how food safety issues affect the food supply chain.

Keynote Topics 

• Food Safety Areas of Opportunities in the Mango Industry
• Food Safety Guideline Certifications
• When a Crisis Hits Home
• How Food Safety Issues Affect Commerce
• U.S. Government and Food Safety
• Tools and Solutions to Help Reduce the Risk of Food Safety Issues

2013 Conference Highlights

With 6 plenary panel sessions, the Mango Food Safety Conference created the opportunity to bring the latest food safety information to the industry. Approximately 74 industry members from each level of the supply chain attended the conference and acquired more knowledge on ways to increase food safety for the end consumer.

Keynote speakers included representatives from produce firms who have been involved in different recalls to share how they managed a crisis, a food safety expert who is conducting a risk assessment of the mango industry, and foodservice buyers who shared their insights on the food-safety and recall systems they have in place.

In addition, representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food & Drug Administration, as well as industry associations, gave their respective perspectives on handling a food-safety crisis.

There were many different highlights of the conference and overall, this free information sharing event stimulated discussion between keynote speakers and the audience to improve mango quality and safety.

Food Safety Areas of Opportunities in the Mango Industry

Providing high quality mangos that consumers will purchase again and again requires a commitment to safety and quality by each and every member of the mango industry. In continuing efforts to provide the U.S. consumer with a delicious, nutritious and safe product, the NMB commissioned a risk assessment of the supply chain to provide insight to the industry’s food safety protocols.

Food safety expert, Dr. Sergio Nieto-Montenegro of Hispanic Workforce Management, visited facilities in mango producing countries as well as receiving warehouses in the United States to identify areas for improvement. The goal of the assessment is to recognize and engage industry members to build upon existing food safety efforts and improve best practices.

During the Mango Food Safety Conference, Dr. Nieto-Montenegro shared his preliminary findings and recommendations for mango growing farms and packinghouses in Ecuador and Peru, and mango warehouses and distribution centers in Los Angeles and Philadelphia. As reported at the conference, Dr. Nieto-Montenegro’s preliminary findings have included recommendations for improving upon existing water usage and safety protocols, as well as employee guidelines such as the importance of hand washing protocols.

Click here to learn more about Dr. Nieto-Montenegro’s findings.

Further Research

The industry-wide assessment will continue throughout the year to include mango packinghouses, farms, and warehouses in Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Haiti, as well as U.S. importing warehouses and distribution centers in McAllen, TX, and Nogales, AZ. 

The NMB has always encouraged its members to adhere to all U.S. food safety standards. Dr. Nieto-Montenegro’s work will help the NMB build upon existing food safety standards and allow the mango industry to establish improved best practices for providing consumers with wholesome mangos they can confidently share with their family and friends.

Mango Food Safety Conference Resources 

The NMB provided attendees tools and solutions to help reduce the risk of food safety issues at the conference. These tools and resources included speaker presentations, biographies, and a directory of food safety companies. All of these tools are also readily available in the downloads tab below. In addition, the NMB’s Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual is also available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Click here for speaker biographies.

Click here for Dr. Sergio Nieto-Montenegro’s presentation on food safety areas of opportunities in the mango industry.

Click here for Dr. Leonardo Ortega’s presentation on what food safety programs exist in mango producing countries.

For a directory of food safety companies, please contact Dr. Leonardo Ortega, NMB Director of Research at lortega@mango.org.

Click here to learn more about the NMB’s Best Management Practices Manual. 

Sponsors

The NMB would like to thanks its sponsors for their support!