The dry bulb onion industry has had commodity-specific food safety guidelines ingrained in the industry since 2010. In 2022, the National Onion Association and the International Fresh Produce Association worked together to update best practices, from field to shelf to ensure all handling of onions across the country was uniform and in line with onion industry best practices of food safety and safe handling guidelines.
The 2022 Onion Industry Best Practices focus on food safety
Although the United States dry bulb onion industry already had a framework and guidance document in place, the first edition of existing best practices was developed in 2010 and did not necessarily reflect current best practices for onion production, harvest, and handling. In July 2021, the IFPA, in collaboration with NOA, convened a working group that continued to meet in-person and remotely over the course of eight months to provide clarity and context within the greater goals of public health for fresh produce.
This document represents the best and brightest thinking of hundreds in the agricultural industry who have worked with onions for decades.
