Mexico, US Join Efforts to Strengthen Food Safety Programs

In a concerted effort spanning the past six months, the governments of Mexico and the United States have intensified training programs for agricultural producers and harmonization efforts in laboratory methodologies. Their goal is to optimize prevention and response strategies concerning outbreaks of diseases associated with the consumption of fresh and minimally processed foods, as highlighted by the countries’ respective health agencies.

During the 2024 meeting of the Food Safety Alliance Committee, officials from Mexico's National Service of Health, Safety, and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA), the Federal Commission for Protection Against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assessed the actions and outcomes of their collaborative working groups. Nearly four years since the establishment of the Alliance, the primary focus of the group has been to ensure that the regulated sectors in both countries are well-versed in the US Produce Safety Rule and Mexico's Risk Reduction Systems for Contamination (SRRC) standards implemented by SENASICA, thus ensuring compliance.

Through these regulations, the health agencies aim to instill consumer confidence by ensuring that established hygiene measures are adhered to during the production, harvesting, packaging, and commercialization of fresh vegetables, thereby mitigating the risks posed by physical, chemical, and microbiological contaminants. To address these challenges effectively, coordinated actions have been implemented, primarily at the regional level. These actions include strengthening surveillance systems, promoting the adoption of good agricultural practices, improving food storage methods, and enhancing collaboration between government and industry stakeholders.

Representatives from the FDA emphasized the strategic importance of the alliance to the US government, noting that a significant portion of fresh produce consumed in the US originates from Mexico. They reiterated the agency's commitment to sharing necessary technical and scientific information with Mexican counterparts to advance preventive and responsive strategies against outbreaks of foodborne illnesses linked to fresh produce.

During the meeting, progress from various working groups was presented. The first group, Strategic Priorities, reported consolidating prevention and training activities for 277 onion producers in Chihuahua. The focus was on ensuring safety in both cultivation and packaging processes.

The second group, Laboratory Collaboration, highlighted advancements in harmonizing genomic sequencing methods and detection techniques for agri-food pathogens and microorganisms of interest, specifically Cyclospora cayetanensis, Hepatitis A Virus, and Norovirus.

Lastly, the Response to Outbreaks group emphasized the effectiveness of the Binational Outbreak Notification Protocol in facilitating timely communication and follow-up actions between health agencies. This was demonstrated during a recent Salmonella outbreak linked to melons.