Produce & Plant Products Guidance Documents & Regulatory Information
Guidance documents contain nonbinding recommendations
For information related to Produce Safety Standards under the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), see FSMA Final Rule for Produce Safety.
Guidance & Regulation
Produce
- Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption: What You Need to Know About the FDA Regulation - Small Entity Compliance Guide (September 2024)
- Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Sprouts for Human Consumption (September 2023)
- Draft Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Sprouts for Human Consumption (September 2023)
- Guidance for Industry: Transition from Temporary Policy During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Regarding the Qualified Exemption from the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (April 2023)
- Guidance for Industry: Reducing Microbial Food Safety Hazards in the Production of Seed for Sprouting (May 2022)
- FSMA Final Rule for Produce Safety
- Draft Guidance for Industry: Evaluating Alternate Curricula for the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (June 2019)
- Enforcement Policy for Entities Growing, Harvesting, Packing, or Holding Hops, Wine Grapes, Pulse Crops, and Almonds (March 2019)
- Draft Guidance for Industry: Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (October 2018)
- Draft Guidance for Industry: Guide to Minimize Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Produce (October 2018)
- Questions and Answers on FDA’s Proposed Commodity-Specific Guidances (CSGs)
- Draft Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (October 1998)
- Guide to Minimize Microbial Food Safety Hazards of Fresh-cut Fruits and Vegetables (February 2008)
- Microbiological Safety Evaluations and Recommendations on Sprouted Seed (May 1999)
Nuts
- Measures to Address the Risk for Contamination by Salmonella Species in Food Containing a Pistachio-Derived Product As An Ingredient (June 2009)
- Measures to Address the Risk for Contamination by Salmonella Species in Food Containing a Peanut-Derived Product as an Ingredient (March 2009)
Industry Guidance in Collaboration with FDA
- How to Work with FDA on Food Guidance Documents (January 2017)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production, Harvest, Storage, and Packing of Potatoes (June 2013) (PDF - 7325KB)
- Commodity-Specific Food Safety Guidelines for Cantaloupes and Netted Melons (March 29, 2013) (PDF - 4.77MB)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production, Harvest, Post-Harvest, and Processing Unit Operations of Fresh Culinary Herbs (January 2013) (PDF - 7.34MB)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Production, Harvest, Post-Harvest, and Valued-Added Unit Operations of Green Onions (February 2010)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Melon Supply Chain, 1st Edition (November 2005)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Fresh Tomato Supply Chain, 3rd Edition (September 2018)
- Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for the Lettuce and Leafy Greens Supply Chain, 1st Edition (April 2006)
Related Resources
Action Plans & Strategies
- Prevention Strategies
- Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan
- Cyclospora Prevention, Response and Research Action Plan
FDA Letters to Industry
- Letter to Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association as a Conduit to Growers, Harvesters, Packers, and Distributors of the St. Lucie Area Concerning the Public Health Risk of Cyclospora cayetanensis (June 2021)
- Second Letter to Papaya Growers, Harvesters, Packers, Distributors, Exporters, Importers, and Retailers Concerning Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Tied to Papayas (June 2020)
- Letter to Papaya Growers, Harvesters, Packers, Distributors, Exporters, Importers, and Retailers Concerning Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Tied to Papayas (August 2019)
- Letter to State Agriculture Officials and the Leafy Greens Industry Concerning Environmental Assessment of Factors Potentially Contributing to the Contamination of Romaine Lettuce Implicated in a Multi-State Outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 (November 2018)
- Letter to Firms that Grow, Harvest, Sort, Pack, Process, or Ship Fresh Cantaloupe (November 2011)
- Letter to Firms that Grow, Harvest, Sort, Pack, or Ship Fresh Cilantro (March 2011)
- Letter to Seed Suppliers, Distributors, and Sprouters (May 2009)
- Letter To California Firms that Grow, Pack, Process, or Ship Fresh and Fresh-cut Lettuce (November 2005)
- Letter To Firms that Grow, Pack, or Ship Fresh Lettuce and Fresh Tomatoes (February 2004)
Additional letters can be found in the Electronic Reading Room.
Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce
- FDA Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce - Domestic Produce Assignment (DFP # 05-20) (August 2005)
- FDA Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce - FY 2000/2001 Field Assignment (January 2003)
- Survey of Domestic Fresh Produce: Interim Results as of June 30, 2001
- Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey Enforcement Plan (July 2000)
- Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey (August 2000)
- Constituent Briefing - Domestic Produce Sampling Survey (May 2000)
Survey of Imported Fresh Produce
- FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - Import Produce Assignment (DFP # 05-16) (March 2005)
- FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - FY 2001 Field Assignment (DOEP # 01-07) (January 2001)
- FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce - FY 1999 Field Assignment (Survey Results (January 2001)
- FDA Survey of Imported Fresh Produce, November 1, 1999 (REVISED Imported Produce Assignment - FY 99 DOEP # 99-4)