Food Protection Trends - November 2008 - (Page 767)

TABLE 1. Producers by product type Product type Animal products Fresh vegetables and fruits Seafood Others a a Number of firms 11 14 3 11 % of firms 28.2 35.9 7.7 28.2 Compared with the development of agro-product TPC in China, theoretical and system-supportive research on TPC, especially research on users of agroproduct quality and safety certification, is very scarce. This will restrain further development of agro-product quality and safety certification in China. Clearly, it is necessary and important for advancing the development of TPC in China. Includes peanut oil, tea, and other agro-products RESEARCH PURPOSE AND DESIGN In this research, four cities, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Qingdao, were selected as target cities. They were selected because: (1) the provinces in which Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Shandong are located are important agricultural provinces in China; (2) the four cities have a very active and significant agro-product export trade; and (3) agroproduct certification in these cities started earlier than in other places and has performed effectively. The research was conducted in October 2005. Group meetings and survey questionnaires were the major research approaches used. The research also included field visits and visits to several individual production sites. Information was collected on the following themes: basic information on the producers, the category of standards and certification, basic procedures of TPC, and producers’ perceptions of TPC. Eighty questionnaires, of which 39 were returned, were mailed or faxed to interviewees. Four group meetings were held with producers, and three site visits were made to individual producers. 3. If the application documents are eligible, the provincial green food agency so informs the applicants and arranges the site-examination plan. 4. The provincial green food agency assigns at least two inspectors to execute a site examination and provide a site review report. If the applicant passes the site examination, the provincial green food agency will arrange to test sample products. The samples will be sent to an appointed testing agency. If the applicant can provide a product quality testing report from an accredited green food testing agency that is less than one year old and the report has been validated by inspectors, then the provincial green food agency will not require sample testing. 5. Inspectors also investigate the original green food production environment when they execute the site examination. If the original production environment satisfies the requirements for exemption, the applicant can be exempted. If the applicant provides access to the production environment for inspection, the provincial green food agency will inform the appointed environmental inspection agency in writing, and report to the certification office of Center for China Green Food Development at the same time. The environmental inspection agency will execute the inspection and submit a report to the certification office of Center for China Green Food 6. 7. 8. 9. Development and the provincial green food agency within a given period of time. Meanwhile, the product testing agency will test samples and submit a test report to the two agencies previously noted. The provincial green food agency issues a review opinion after receiving the site examination and environmental quality inspection reports. It sends all the documents to the certification office at the Center for China Green Food Development. The certification office audits the documents and verifies the audit. If there are any questions, the certification office will inform the applicant and assign inspectors to perform the site examination again. If the documents are incomplete, the applicant will be requested to provide complementary documents within a given period of time. The approval or rejection is then communicated to the green food review committee. The committee provides a final opinion after reviewing the dossier. If an approval is issued, the secretariat of the committee will send relevant documents to the applicant and inform the provincial green food agency. After the applicant signs a contract with the Center for China Green Food Development, a certificate is issued by the director. If the application is rejected, the applicant is so informed and the application will not be reviewed again during the same growth cycle. RESULTS Agro-product producers From group meetings and the statistical analysis of questionnaires, it was ascertained that most firms involved in certification focus on the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. Therefore, laborintensive products predominated. Furthermore, many firms produced other agro-products, such as tea and peanuts (Table 1). Only a few firms were in the aquaculture sector. As for the product market, nearly 47% of producers were engaged in inter- NOVEMBER 2008 | FOOD PROTECTION TRENDS 767

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Food Protection Trends - November 2008 Contents Sustaining Members Perspectives from Your President Commentary from the Executive Director Biofilm Formation of Listeria monocytogenes on Various Conveyor Belt Surfaces Third-Party Certification of Agro-Products in China:�A Study of Agro-Product Producers in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou and Qingdao IAFP 2008 in Review Award Winners 3M Microbiology - Black Pearl Award Winner Ivan Parkin Lecture - Russell S. Flowers John H. Silliker Lecture - Michael P. Doyle Student Travel Scholarships Session Summaries Highlights of the Executive Board Meeting Minutes of the 95th Annual Business Meeting Committee Minutes Executive Board Response to Committee Recommendations Exhibitors of IAFP 2008 Special Contributors and Sponsors Call for Awards - IAFP 2009 New Members What's Happening in Food Safety Industry Products Coming Events Advertising Index Journal of Food Protection Table of Contents Audiovisual Library Order Form Booklet Order Form Membership Application

Food Protection Trends - November 2008

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