Stringent food safety practices, including good employee hygiene, are critical when handling produce.  All Markon brand suppliers adhere to good agricultural practices (GAP) and good handling practices (GHP) within their operations.  Here are some key points regarding the swine flu:

• Swine flu is not a food safety issue.
• Transmission is generally through human-to-human contact.
• Swine influenza virus is not transmitted by food.

• The virus cannot be spread by eating pork that has been properly prepared.
• The virus cannot be spread by eating produce that has been properly handled.

The CDC recommends the following:

·         Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.  Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.

·         Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

·         Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

·         Try to avoid close contact with sick people.  Influenza is thought to spread mainly person-to-person through coughing or sneezing of infected people.

·         If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

 

Additional information can be found on these web sites:

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/

http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

http://www.who.int/csr/don/en/