[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-495992-105":59,"doc-detail-495992-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","enhancing-the-safety-of-locally-prepared-foods-publication-fst-300p-fst-363p","ENHANCING THE SAFETY OF LOCALLY PREPARED FOODS - Publication FST-300P - FST-363P","","Guidance for selling refrigerated dips, spreads, dressings, and salads at farmers markets, explaining what these refrigerated TCS foods are and why they require time and temperature control to stay safe. Covers identifying whether a product needs refrigeration using water activity (Aw) and acidity (pH), testing pathways through process authorities or laboratories, and conditions for shelf-stable alternatives. Provides practical steps for starting production, regulatory applications, facility inspection, and preventing contamination, including hand hygiene, gloves, sanitation, and maintaining refrigeration at 41°F/5°C or below.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/enhancing-the-safety-of-locally-prepared-foods-publication-fst-300p-fst-363p/495992/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/enhancing-the-safety-of-locally-prepared-foods-publication-fst-300p-fst-363p/495992.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Terk","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-10","2026-10-02",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"Why do dips, spreads, dressings, and salads often need refrigeration at farmers markets?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"They are high-moisture foods with not enough acidity to control microbial growth, so they require time and temperature control to ensure safety and shelf life.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"How can I determine whether my product must be refrigerated?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"You need to know the product’s water activity (Aw) and pH. 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Most of these items require refrigeration to ensure safety. These foods contain a lot of moisture and do not have enough acidity to control microbial growth. They require time and temperature control for their safety, and they are often referred to as TCS foods. Some examples include:  \nX Hummus  \nX Refrigerated salsa  \nX Pesto (see fig. 1)  \nX Mayonnaise-based salads (e.g. , potato salad; see fig. 2)  \nX Guacamole (see fig. 3)  \nX Salad dressings.  \nFigure 1. Example of a tomato-based pesto refrigerated product.(Photo: “Pesto, Tomatoes, Eat, Food, Healthy” by Einladung_zum_Essen, licensed under CC0 1.0) (Photo courtesy of Pixabay, Creative Commons License.)  \nFigure 2. Refrigerated potato salad. (Photo: “Potato Salad Food Meal Healthy Dinner” by kartynas, licensed under CC0 1.0)(Photo credit: Pixabay, Creative Commons License.)  \nFigure 3. Preparation of guacamole. (Photo courtesy of Susan Chen, Virginia Tech)  \nNote: All packaged, refrigerated foods require facility inspection by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS 2017).  \n“This work is supported by Food Safety Outreach Program [grant no. 2016 0020-25888/project accession no. 1010671] from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture”  \n2020 Publication FST-300P (FST-363P)  \nVirginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Edwin J. Jones, Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; M. Ray McKinnie, Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State University, Petersburg.  \nENHANCING THE SAFETY OF  \nLOCALLY PREPARED FOODS  \n\n| | | | | | |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n\nHow do I know if my product needs to be refrigerated?  \nFoods that contain enough available water (a measurement called water activity Aw) and low acidity (as measured by pH) can promote growth of microorganisms that can spoil the food or cause foodborne illness. To prevent spoilage or foodborne illness, these foods are refrigerated to extend shelf life and increase their safety. In order to know if your product needs to be refrigerated, you need to know its Aw and pH.  \nHow do I know my product’s water activity and pH?  \nTo know your product’s Aw and pH, you must have it tested. Testing can be done through a process authority, a food scientist, or a food testing laboratory. You can find process authorities through the Association of Food and Drug Officials (www.afdo.org/ foodprocessing) .  \nIf your product has a high enough acidity (pH \u003C 4.6) or a low enough Aw (Aw \u003C 0.85), it may be able to be produced as a shelf-stable product that does not require refrigeration. If your food falls into either of these categories, it is either considered a shelf-stable acidified food or a dehydrated food.  \nWhat steps do I need to take if I want to produce refrigerated dips, spreads, dressings, and salads for sale?  \n1. Confirm that your product requires refrigeration (see above) .  \n2. Complete a food safety course (e.g. , ServSafe for Managers, which is provided by many Extension offices) . This is not a regulatory requirement, a food safety course will pr","cbCaik66pCGJD7RV","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaik66pCGJD7RV","pdf",987807,"English","# What are refrigerated dips, spreads, dressings, and salads?\n## How do I know if my product needs to be refrigerated?\n## How do I know my product’s water activity and pH?\n## Steps to produce refrigerated products for sale\n## How do I prevent contamination of my product during production?","[{\"question\":\"Why do dips, spreads, dressings, and salads often need refrigeration at farmers markets?\",\"answer\":\"They are high-moisture foods with not enough acidity to control microbial growth, so they require time and temperature control to ensure safety and shelf life.\"},{\"question\":\"How can I determine whether my product must be refrigerated?\",\"answer\":\"You need to know the product’s water activity (Aw) and pH. Refrigeration is needed when conditions do not meet the shelf-stable thresholds (pH \\u003c 4.6 and/or Aw \\u003c 0.85).\"},{\"question\":\"How do I prevent contamination during production of refrigerated foods?\",\"answer\":\"Use proper personal hygiene and hand-washing, wear food-safe gloves, follow cleaning and sanitation practices, maintain correct temperature control (41°F/5°C or lower for high-moisture refrigerated foods), and source ingredients from approved reputable suppliers.\"}]","ENHANCING THE SAFETY OF LOCALLY PREPARED FOODS - Publication FST-300P - FST-363P | PDF",1790925325]