Food Safety

Food safety is a critical issue throughout the fresh produce industry. Although there have been no documented cases of foodborne illness attributed to fresh mushrooms, wholesale buyers are increasingly requiring suppliers to provide evidence of safe growing practices.

In this section, explore educational resources on safe mushroom production, including FSMA requirements, Good Agricultural Practices, and control and prevention of pathogens.

Food Safety Regulations for Mushroom Production

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established a number of food safety regulations for growers, harvesters, and packers. Most commercial mushroom producers are primarily affected by the produce safety and preventive controls rules outlined in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The FSMA produce safety rule sets requirements for preventing produce contamination during mushroom production, as well as before and after harvesting. It further includes requirements for compost and manure used in mushroom substrates, agricultural water, sanitation, and worker hygiene.

The Preventive Controls Rule applies to any facility that processes, packs, or holds foods for human consumption. It is broadly divided into Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls.

Penn State Extension provides a number of valuable resources on how the FSMA applies to mushroom growing, including training requirements and exemptions. In addition, growers can discover produce safety best practices with the FSMA: Produce Grower Certification Training.

Mushroom Good Agricultural Practices

Mushroom Good Agricultural Practices (MGAP) are voluntary standards that assist producers in ensuring produce safety, keeping consumers healthy, and preventing crop losses. MGAP addresses clean water and soil, proper sanitation, and hygienic practices.

Apart from meeting the standards, growers develop and implement a food safety plan that identifies potential food safety risks, hazard control measures, and monitoring and verification procedures.

Various MGAP audit programs are available to producers who wish to improve and document safe mushroom growing practices. If you are considering an audit – or want to write a GAP safety plan – join Penn State Extension’s Developing a Farm Food Safety Plan workshop.

Preventing Foodborne Illness in Mushroom Production

Mushroom foodborne illnesses are caused by ingesting toxic substances present on the produce. Mushroom contamination may occur at any point during production or processing and is often caused by bacterial pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli.

Listeria monocytogenes, unlike other bacterial pathogens, can survive within a wide range of pH and salt concentrations. It can affect humans, birds, and many mammal species. Listeria can also thrive in agricultural environments including soil, cull piles, bins, and equipment in packing and processing areas.

Incomplete cleaning procedures or poor sanitary design allow bacteria plenty of time to adapt and grow. Proper sanitation should include appropriate cleaners and sanitizers. When using sanitizers in mushroom farms, ensure the products are approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and used according to label directions.

In this section, find comprehensive information on mushroom production and food safety. In addition, learn in detail about Sanitary and Design Considerations for Mushroom Packing and Slicing Operations.