Top Ten Questions Asked:
1. What to do if there is a problem with delivery?
Call the SFVNP office toll free as soon as a problem is encountered and steps will be taken immediately to correct the problem. 1-866-517-6225
2. Which products need to be refrigerated?
Only the sliced apples and mini cucumbers must be refrigerated. All other produce may be refrigerated if space is permitted. Please store any un-refrigerated produce in a cool room, out of sunlight.
3. Are all the fruits and vegetables provided in the Program grown in British Columbia?
All the fruits and vegetables used in the SFVNP are grown in BC. There may be an occasion when a shipment is late and we are required to substitute other produce. Should this happen our mandate is to supply Canadian produce if possible. There may be occasions when growing conditions affect our BC crops and we will need to utilize other sources, but we do our best to ensure top quality BC produce whenever possible.
4. Is the produce used organic?
Some of the produce we use in the Program is organically grown. In BC we import over 80% of our organic produce from other countries. Many of the products we use are not “certified” organic, but are grown utilizing organic practices.
5. Is traditionally grown (non-organic) produce safe?
Absolutely. BC boasts some of the safest growing practices in the world. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regularly checks produce for pesticide residues and our produce is considered some of the safest in the world. All of the fruits and vegetables used in the Program are HACCP certified. This means that the growers follow all best practice growing, packing and safety techniques.
6. What do we do with left-over produce?
Each school has the ability to utilize leftover produce however they see fit. Many schools place a basket at the office so that children can help themselves. Some schools use leftover produce for sports teams, others package it up and send it home with children they feel are in need. This is a school based decision. The reason you have left-over produce is that we do not break case lots of produce. If you have 90 children in your school, you may receive a case of apples with 125 pieces. We do not break cases for food safety reasons.
7. Do we have to wash the produce before serving it?
No, all produce arrives washed and ready to eat. Products such as plums often look as though they have not been washed due to the “bloom”, a natural occurrence in their makeup.
8. What is the best time to serve the produce?
Produce such as sliced apples and mini cucumbers must not be un-refrigerated for more than 3 hours. Other produce can be served in class at the teachers convenience.
9. What are the safety requirements for storing and handling produce?
The safety requirements for receiving, storing and handling the produce are outlined in the In-School Coordinator’s guide book. Your school is required to have a FOODSAFE certified handler. All hand washing and safety procedures as outlined in the FOODSAFE guide must be followed. As mentioned above, sliced product and mini-cucumbers should be refrigerated. All produce should be checked for freshness before being delivered to the classroom. Any quality issues should be recorded in the Produce Log and reported to the designated lead in your school and our office.
10. Where can we get more information on the Program and BC agriculture?
For more information on the School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program please visit our website at: http://www.aitc.ca/bc/snacks/ or contact our office.
