Food Safety is of the utmost importance to River Ranch. We have continuous monitoring throughout our systems to assure that our products meet City, County, State, Federal and industry requirements and that we are following the recommended Food Safety guidelines and best practices.

PRODUCTS IN FIELD

The River Ranch Agricultural Operations Team oversees that our products meet stringent growing requirements, are harvested correctly at the proper maturity in the field, along with managing that any pesticides applied meet and are within State and Federal regulatory standards. River Ranch is one of the original signatory’s of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement and the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement fully complying with the agreements stated guidelines and audit protocols. In addition, we have Primus Labs, an independent third party auditor, randomly test products before they are harvested to check for pesticide residues and audit the fields and crews to assist us with monitoring our food safety programs.

RECEIVING AT PROCESSING FACILITY

Transaction lot numbers are assigned to each load as the product is received at the processing facility. The transaction lot number follows the product through all steps; processing, packaging, palletizing, and distribution, enabling complete traceability back to the field and harvest crew.

Once received, the products are pre-cooled (field heat is removed) to preserve the quality via a Hydro-chiller, Hydra-vac, or Hydro-cooler.

The quality of product on each truckload is audited. Random samples are pulled from several different bins / trays / cartons, then graded to validate it meets our specifications.

PROCESSING

Products are conveyed, inspected, cut to size, washed in chlorinated water, dried, packaged, passed through metal detectors, placed in the cartons, and palletized. During the entire process quality is monitored.

TEMPERATURES

Temperature management is considered a critically important control to preserve product quality and to help minimize food safety concerns. Temperatures of holding rooms, raw product, processing waters, finished products and storage areas, etc., are constantly monitored to maintain a 34 – 36°F temperature.

MICROBIOLOGY

Trained QA technicians collect environmental and product samples that are sent to a certified laboratory for analysis. Prior to startup each day food contact surfaces are analyzed to ensure sanitation criteria were met.

SANITATION

Sanitation is an extremely important part of the processing facility. The crew makes sure that all product contact surfaces, conveyors, equipment, floors and drains, etc., are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized throughout the facility every night. Microbiology results are used as a tool to inform our sanitation department of their progress and to assist us in problem solving.

INSPECTIONS

Each processing and distribution facility along the surrounding grounds are inspected by several individual private brand customers, as well as third parties such as: Primus Labs and Steritech, to assess the facility’s policies, procedures and programs.

Overall, we have many programs, policies and procedures in place and enforced to make every effort to ensure the safety and cleanliness of our products. Such policies include Personnel Hygiene Rules, a H.A.C.C.P (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) program, a Glass and Brittle Plastic Policy, etc.

All personnel must follow strict Personnel Hygiene Rules. Hair nets, beard nets, smocks and gloves are issued daily. Bump caps, protective eyeglasses and hearing protection are provided for personal safety. Hand and foot sanitizer’s are placed at each entry into the processing areas. Designated smoking and eating areas are located outside the processing facility, in non-product zones.

River Ranch's H.A.C.C.P Program includes a Flow Diagram, Analysis of potential risks, Critical Control Points and description of all products.

RECALL/PRODUCT TRACABILITY

Every River Ranch processed product has an identification code to help River Ranch to trace product at every stage of processing. Within 2 hours of a food safety alert, River Ranch procedures can identify the grower, field, harvester, processing line, shipper and every customer who affected product. River Ranch maintains an open relationship with the FDA and other state and federal governing agencies to protect the consumer.

**For more information on our Food Safety Programs and Policies, please contact Dr. Barry A Eisenberg, Vice President Technical Services at 1-800-538-5868, ext. 6302.