Whether it’s solving a math problem or figuring out how to buy quality fresh apples, having the right tools and training will lead you to a positive solution. Managing fresh and fresh-cut produce purchases can seem like a complicated math problem for many schools, food banks and other large volume institutions. To help them figure out the right formula and address all of the variables, USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) designed a webinar series to help these establishments successfully buy, receive and handle fresh and fresh-cut produce.
The webinar series is an off-shoot of an ongoing AMS produce webinar series and the popular Produce Safety University (PSU), which helps school foodservice personnel identify and manage food safety risks associated with handling fresh produce. While PSU was delivered using interactive, hands-on classes, the webinar series’ online format allows more people to expand their knowledge of all things produce. As a result, more and more large volume institutions will be able to satisfy their demand for fresh produce.
When it comes to dealing with a large volume of perishable produce, there are many factors that must be addressed. For example, not knowing how long it takes lettuce to wilt or the proper temperature to store bags of sliced apples can be a disaster for any food bank. These operations rely on products that have a long shelf-life. Knowing the shelf-life of fresh produce and other food donations is essential to step in helping them feed those in need. The same can be said for buying quality produce at a reasonable price. With a limited budget and wide variety of palettes to satisfy, schools and food banks need to get the biggest bang for their buck.
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