December 05, 2022. Since childhood, we are always reminded to wash our hands properly before meals to avoid getting sick. As we grew up, we also realized that the 5-second rule is probably not true, because in reality, bacteria, whether good or bad, are everywhere, even on farms.
In 2017, the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS) developed the PNS Code of Hygienic Practice (COHP) for Tomatoes (PNS/BAFS 211:2017), establishing the best practices from primary production to postharvest handling of freshly harvested tomatoes.
This year, an Explanatory Manual (EM), the supplementary material for the PNS, is released to explain its provisions further. The supplementary material contains notes, photographs and illustrations for specific practices. One section on Product Information and Consumer Awareness reminds the consumers to wash their hands before handling tomatoes.
Need more info? The EM and other knowledge products can be viewed or downloaded from the BAFS website at http://bafs.da.gov.ph. ###