A meal that has been prepared, fully cooked, packaged and refrigerated or frozen with the intent of being sold as a packaged meal, for the consumer to prepare at home.

Jams, preserves, jellies, and fruit butters are defined as a mixture of fruit, sugar, and pectin that forms a thick or semi-solid gel. These products are categorized by their fruit content and consistency.

Fermentation occurs when specific microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) break down the sugars in the vegetables producing acid as a byproduct. The acid production lowers the pH of the vegetables and creates a unique, desirable flavor. This definition does not include vegetables that have been acidified or pickled by adding extra acid (for example, adding vinegar) to decrease the pH.

Pasteurization is one of the most common food processing technologies used. It is typically used to process milk, but can also be used for many other foods including juices, eggs, cheese, butter and vinegar. This publication was created to provide simple, easy to understand science based information on what this technology is and how it can make foods safer. The goal is for the public to be more aware and accepting of various technologies that are used to make our food supply safe.

The Produce Safety Rule (PSR) is one of the seven major food safety regulations that are authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The PSR standards (subpart F) describe the minimum requirements for treated and untreated biological soil amendments of animal origin and human waste for reducing public health risk and the risk of contaminating covered produce. The PSR standards include requirements for determining if biological soil amendments of animal origin are treated or untreated and how to handle them. The standards also address the use of human waste, treatment of the biological soil amendments, application methods and intervals, and recordkeeping.

The Food Safety Modernization act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) covers packinghouse activities in several subparts of the regulation. These include subpart D - worker health and hygiene, subpart E - agricultural water, subpart K - growing, harvesting, packing, and holding activities, and subpart L - equipment, tools, buildings, and sanitation. Applying the practices required by the PSR to packing houses is an important element to ensure the safety of fruits and vegetables.

Dehydrated foods are foods where the available water within a product is removed. It is one of the oldest known methods of food preservation. Many types of foods can be dehydrated including fruits, vegetables, and meats

Often understanding the steps needed to prepare foods for sale in the direct market such as Farmers Markets can be complex. Regulations and steps for producing foods safely can vary greatly depending on the food produced. This fact sheet provides detailed steps on how to safely prepare and sell pet food and treats in the local market. Additionally, the publication includes steps a food producer must follow to get approved by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to sell these products.

High pressure processing (HPP) is a technology in which foods are exposed to high pressure inside a chamber. The high pressure kills microorganisms and breaks down enzymes (molecules that speed up the rate of chemical reactions in food, like browning) without the use of extreme temperatures (Fellows 2009).

Microwaves are one of the most common food processing technologies used. Most consumers are familiar with using a microwave in their home kitchen, however, do not realized that some of the food that they purchase has been processed using microwave technology. This publication was created to provide simple, easy to understand science based information on what this technology is and how it can make foods safer. The goal is for the public to be more aware and accepting of various technologies that are used to make our food supply safe.

Increasingly, producers want to sell meat at farmers markets. This is a great venue to sell you product at a premium, but there are specific and strict regulations that need to be adhered to. This document will provide information on how to meet the regulatory guidelines associated with selling meat and poultry at your local farmers market.

In Virginia, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) is enforcing the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. The FSMA Produce Safety Rule is a regulatory rule by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that sets the science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing, and holding of fruits and vegetables (FDA, 2015). All covered farms are subject to inspection. To help prepare for the regulation, operations can choose to have an On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR). The OFRR is a program designed specifically to help produce operations align their food safety practices with the FSMA Produce Safety Rule and prepare them for an inspection by VDACS. A fully trained VCE agent conducts the OFRR, lasts no longer than 2 hours, is 100% confidential, and is entirely free.