As harvest approaches, preparation is everything. The busy season brings challenges—tight turnaround times, regulatory requirements, lab coordination, and the ever-present pressure to avoid costly mistakes. Pre-Harvest Lab Testing Guide, our latest resource, is designed to help you enter the season with confidence, covering all the essential topics to have you working side by side with your third-party lab.
The guide begins with simple lab prep strategies, including clear communication with your third-party lab, planning tests in advance, and understanding turnaround times. Practical advice—like informing labs about your produce type, sending enough samples, and using Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS)—helps reduce delays and prevent errors.
Pesticide residue testing is another key focus. With complex and constantly changing regulations, improper application or oversight can lead to rejected loads, financial penalties, or even product destruction. This resource explains residue rules, how different commodities fall under varying regulations, and why proactive testing before harvest is essential.
The eBook also highlights pre-harvest water testing requirements under the FDA’s Final Rule, offering timelines by farm size and outlining the importance of microbiological testing. Additionally, sanitation validation, seasonal staff training, and documentation best practices are emphasized as cornerstones of compliance and audit readiness.
Likewise, Environmental Monitoring Programs (EMPs) are presented as an essential verification step to ensure sanitation is effective—acting as an early warning system for microbial risks in both ready-to-eat and non-RTE foods. This resource also covers how to approach transporting samples during hot summer months, offering best practices for packaging, labeling, courier coordination, and avoiding compromised results.
Ultimately, Pre-Harvest Lab Testing Guide provides a comprehensive roadmap for reducing stress and staying compliant during harvest. From pesticide and water testing to EMP reviews and sanitation validation, this guide equips you with practical strategies to keep operations running smoothly, even in the busiest of times.