Food writer Michael Pollan’s famous mantra, “Eat food, not much, mostly plants,” seems to have made an impact on consumers who are demanding fresh produce. In fact, many in the food industry are predicting 2016 will be the year of the vegetable, with “farm to fork” movements and the “flexitarian” diet gaining strength.
However, fresh fruit and vegetable operations are coming under greater scrutiny. For instance, new Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) rules have established for the first time enforceable safety standards for produce farms and hold importers accountable for the safety of their food.