Frequently Asked Questions:
- What if there is a problem with delivery?
- What products need to be refrigerated?
- Are all the fruits and vegetables provided in the Program grown in British Columbia?
- Is the product used organic?
- Is traditionally grown (non-organic) produce safe?
- What do we do with left-over produce?
- Do we have to prepare the produce before serving it ie: washing it, cutting it up?
- What is the best time to serve the produce?
- What are the safety requirements for storing and handling produce?
- Where can we get more information on the Program and BC agriculture?
- Does the In-School Coordinator have to have FoodSafe Certification?
- Why is the produce sometimes under-ripe?
- How should I distribute bulk items such as blueberries and sugar snap peas?
- Does my Level 1 FoodSafe Certificate expire?
- Why didn't my school get our fruits & veggies delivery on a Pro-D day?
- How much is too much bad produce in a delivery?
- Are the individual plastic bags recyclable?
- Why is FoodSafe Certification so important?
- Is wax added to the whole apples?
- What are 'Temp Tales' and what do I do if I find one in my boxes of produce?
1. What if there is a problem with delivery?
If there is an issue with the condition and/or quality of the produce, please take pictures and e-mail them to laura@aitc.ca before you call. This will enable us to look at the pictures while we're talking with you. Specifically, we need pictures of:
- the actual produce
- the outside of the boxes in which the produce arrived
- any expiry dates on the boxes or on the packaging inside the boxes
Call the SFVNP office toll free as soon as possible after you've e-mailed the pictures and steps will be taken immediately to correct the problem. 1-866-517-6225.
2. Which products need to be refrigerated?
The following produce requires refrigeration at all times:
- blueberries
- broccoli
- carrots (baby or regular size)
- celery
- sliced apples
- sugar snap peas
All other produce may be refrigerated if space is permitted. Please store any un-refrigerated produce in a cool room, out of sunlight. For a complete list of the refrigeration needs of all our produce, please refer to this table below:
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 the 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, while 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 for food safety reasons.
7. Do we have to prepare the produce before serving it ie: washing it, cutting it up?
No, all produce arrives washed and ready to eat. The only exception to this policy is the blueberries, as washing them prior to shipping may potentially render them soft and moldy by the time they reach the schools. For this reason, they must be washed upon arrival at the school. All commercial produce is washed before it's made available in stores. Our produce goes through a second wash with clear, untreated water just for our Program, as our suppliers are aware of our "ready to eat" Program requirement. If the produce looks like it's not been washed, rest asssured it has. If you have questions as to why the produce doesn't look like it's been washed, please refer to the Product Information Sheets that are available through this link http://www.aitc.ca/bc/index.php?page=product-and-delivery.
8. What is the best time to serve the produce?
Produce such as the list above (under "What products need to be refrigerated?") 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. 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 (see question # 1 above).
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.
11. Does the In-School Coordinator have to have FoodSafe Certification?
Not necessarily. As long as there is at least one person in the school with FoodSafe Certification that is inspecting the produce before distribution, then the In-School Coordinator does not necessarily need to have this training.
12. Why is the produce sometimes under-ripe?
This is not uncommon. In order for you to have the highest quality produce, we order from our suppliers up to 6 weeks in advance to your delivery date. Since we don't want it to be over-ripe when it gets to you (thus inedible), we err on the side of caution so the produce may be a little under-ripe. Under-ripe produce also endures the trip from the supplier to the schools much easier than over-ripe produce. Please wait until your produce is ripe before you distribute to the children. If your produce is a little under-ripe, placing it out on the counter next to some bananas (which give off a natural ethylene gas) will help it ripen quicker.
13. How should I distribute bulk items such as blueberries and sugar snap peas?
One distribution method that we've heard used by schools was the use of paper cupcake holders for each student's serving. They are recyclable as they're made of paper, and they are very inexpensive. Some other schools choose to take the opportunity to emphasize the importance of hand washing before eating, and have all the students wash their hands before grabbing a handful of blueberries and/or sugar snap peas. Upon enrollment, each school on our Program is issued a one-time stipend to help with costs for distribution implements such as bowls, spoons, paper cupcake holders, etc.
14. Does my Level 1 FoodSafe Certificate expire?
Our understanding is that Level 1 FoodSafe Certification is a one-time training. However, if you received your Level 1 FoodSafe Certification more than three years ago, it is recommended that you take the course again to stay up-to-date on changes to FoodSafe policies and procedures. To answer this question properly, please contact the FoodSafe Authority in your area through this link www.foodsafe.ca.
15. Why didn't my school get our fruits & veggies delivery on a Pro-D day?
Deliveries that conflict with a Pro-D day are automatically cancelled. Since we cannot guarantee that someone will be at your school to accept a delivery on a Pro-D day, we err on the side of caution and cancel the delivery. If you know that someone at your school will be willing and able to accept our delivery on a Pro-D day then please e-mail laura@aitc.ca to let us know which dates these are and we will make sure that you receive your delivery.
16. How much is too much bad produce in a delivery?
Crops such as vegetables and fruits are susceptible to many outside influences such as weather, temperature, and handling. Any variation in these influences can affect how quickly or slowly they ripen. Anything less than 5% of bad produce in your delivery is within somewhat normal range. If you have more than 5% of your delivery that is bad, please refer to question #1 for instructions on what to do.
17. Are the individual plastic bags recyclable?
Yes, they are 100% recyclable #7 or #5 plastic. If your City does not choose to pick up these recyclable plastic bags from your school, there are drop-off locations where you can recycle the #5 plastic bags free of charge through West Coast Plastic Recycling. For drop-off locations please contact them through their website www.westcoastplasticrecycling.com .
18. Why is FoodSafe Certification so important?
The main reason to take FoodSafe training is to protect the public from foodborne illnesses. The #1 cause of foodborne illness outbreaks is improper cooling.
It is estimated that there are between 11-13 million cases of food related illnesses in Canada every year. Many of these illnesses could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques. - Health Canada, 2006.
It is our responsibility to ensure that the fruits and veggies are safe to eat before they leave our supplier. It is the school's responsibility to guarantee that they have a Level One FoodSafe Certified person inspecting the produce before it goes out to the children.
19. Is wax added to the whole apples?
Yes, there is wax added to the whole apples. When the apples are still on the tree, they have a natural protective coating that slows dehydration and seals in moisture. But after they are picked and washed, the natural coating is removed. So they are waxed to keep them fresh and looking fine.
The wax that is used is vegetable based, completely edible, utterly safe, and approved by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. It is used very sparsely - in fact, a single gallon of wax will coat five tons of apples!!
Of course, it's not just apples that are waxed. Did you know that citrus fruits, rutabagas, cucumbers, many tomatoes, melons, and peppers also go through this same waxing process?
20. What are "Temp Tales" and what do I do if I find one in my boxes of produce?
"Temp Tales" are monitors that store data regarding the temperature of the produce as it makes it's way from our supplier to your school. It helps us to know if there is a breakdown in our cold chain or not. It will just be inside a sealed envelope, which will be tucked inside a box/case of produce.
If you find a "Temp Tale", here is what you should do:
- DO NOT OPEN
- Phone the BC AITC Programs Office at 1-866-517-6225
- Write your school's return address on the envelope
- Put the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope in the mail
