Freshway Foods has pledged $100,000 over five years to The Center for Produce Safety. The pledge is part of the center’s Campaign for Produce Safety, which has a goal of $20 million to fund produce safety research.

“Our commitment to food safety is at the core of everything we do; it is the guiding principle by which we operate our business, and we are constantly asking ourselves what we can do better,” Devon Beer, president and chief operating officer of Freshway Foods, said in a press release. “We recognize that there is a trust that our customers place in us, that we will provide the safest food possible, and we will never violate that trust. We have found that the Center for Produce Safety shares our commitment to developing world-class food-safety systems.”Devon Beer

In addition to food safety research, CPS offers high-quality educational programs led by food-safety experts. “Over the past five years, Freshway Foods has participated in training and seminars offered by CPS,” said Beer. “These educational opportunities have become an integral part of our food-safety training and education program.”

The projects undertaken by CPS benefit all companies in the fresh produce industry. The center is able to research food-safety concerns and develop best practices across a broad range of commodities, and affect food safety in a greater way than any one produce company could on their own.

“Our pledge to CPS is an investment in the future of our industry, as the center works to review and fund projects that address gaps in food-safety knowledge with science-based research,” Beer said. “The value that we receive from CPS far exceeds the investment. We encourage other processors to join us in supporting the Center for Produce Safety, as the work of this organization will play a key role in building consumer trust in our industry.”

The Center for Produce Safety is a collaborative partnership that leverages the combined expertise of industry, government and the scientific and academic communities to focus on providing research needed to continually enhance food safety. This level of collaboration allows CPS to fill the knowledge gaps on produce food safety.