Resources
At Dulcinea Farms, food safety and traceability is a top priority. Therefore, our company requires all our growers to be GLOBALG.A.P. certified. We also comply with GS1 datacode traceability specifications.
The Company is committed to comply with all the food safety requirements within the fresh produce industry. We work closely with our customers to carry any specific programs they would need. Pacific Trellis Fruit has a stringent compliance policy that is reviewed by the management in an annual basis and updated according to the latest industry guidelines. We strive to maintain our policies, practices and procedures in line with the latest local, state and federal regulations and with the directives outlined by FDA in the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Senior management is thoroughly committed to providing our customers with safe, quality food by supporting and guiding the development, implementation and maintenance efforts of the corporation in food safety, quality and continuous improvement for all the product we take to market.
The Company food safety program is in compliance with the standards of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is audited by 3rd party and commodity specific regulatory agents at least in an annual basis. The program uses a comprehensive approach based on latest FDA guidance documents with the objective of reducing or eliminating potential sources of microbial, chemical, and physical contamination that could be carried by or transferred to the product by the elements in the environment.
SYSTEMATIC RISK BASED HAZARD ANALYSIS
A systematic risk-based analysis of all the elements involved in the production process is carried out by growers, harvesters and facilities using the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) method.
EMPLOYEE TRAINNING
Food Safety training is given by accredited industry parties to all members of our teams to ensure complete understanding and compliance to the latest regulations of the industry.
HEALTH & HYGIENE
The personnel involved in the handling of products is informed of their responsibilities and trained to follow good practices in personal hygiene, health and food safety. The personnel effective use of hygiene and safety principles help prevent or eliminate the risk of contamination of the products with known or foreseeable hazards. Procedures and policies are in place to protect against cross contamination.
TRACEABILITY, RECALL PLAN & CUSTOMER COMPLAINS
All production lots are traceable back and forward as required by the Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002. Pacific Trellis Fruit supply chain traceability program meet the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) latest industry guidelines. The recall program allows the company for fast and precise location and of product in the supply chain to effectively carry out its retrieval if the circumstances justifies it or as required by authorities. The traceability tools include periodic mock recalls exercises to locate lots of products in the supply chain at any given time.
RECORDS OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS
The use of the agricultural inputs is recorded by the growers following the applicable local, state and federal, standards.
AGRICULTURAL WATER
The quality of the water used in production, harvest and post-harvest of our products is monitored and tested to ensure it is safe and sanitary for use in agricultural production. Water quality used in agriculture meets local, state and federal, standards for its intended use.
EQUIPMENT, TOOLS & BUILDINGS
The equipment, tools and buildings used in the production, transfer and warehousing of our products are designed and constructed for proper usage, maintenance and cleaning. Processes and procedures for routine sanitation are carried out by the operators, growers and harvesters to minimize the risk of contamination. Monitoring and controls are in place to check the efficiency of the sanitation procedures. Verification and validation practices are included in the processes to ensure the sanitation procedures are effective.
BIOTERRORISM PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE ACT
The Company and its growing, harvesting and operating partners comply with the requirements of The Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, including those requirements for recordkeeping (traceability), imports, and registration.
SPECIALIZED PACKAGING
Pacific Trellis Fruit is a leader in innovative packaging using state of the art packing lines. We provide a wide range of pack styles and services designed to satisfy the demands of both our customers and the consumer. Genuine treeripe “ready-to-eat-fruit”, private label PLU sticker programs, specialized cartons, clam shells, and “zip lock” guaranteed weight/sealed grapes are just a few examples of the company’s efforts to satisfy our customer’s needs.
CLAM SHELLS
We have been providing clam shell grapes for over 10 years. We’ve pioneered packaging single, bi-color and tri-color varieties packing high-end grapes. Clam shells are packaged to order in 2lb, 3lb or 4lb configurations, always fresh, and readily available throughout the year. Through market research, we’ve found that the benefits of clam shell packaging out weigh the extra costs involved. Some of the advantages of clam shell packaging include higher unit sales, less tampering with product, better display and customer perception, less shrink, packaged to order, and brand recognition.
FIXED WEIGHTS BAGS AND CARTONS
Pacific Trellis Fruit custom packs numerous fixed weight bags in 2, 3, and 4 pound resealable poly bag varieties. The company also offers standard two layer volume fill cartons and 60×40, 50×30 boxes for customers wishing to have display-ready retail packaging.
OTHER PACKAGING
Pacific Trellis Fruit also offers specialized weights and pack styles for both export and domestic customers including 5 kilo cartons with defined bunch sizes, Styrofoam cartons with SO2 pads, TKV (wood) cartons and 60×40 cartons. We encourage our customers to inquire about new and innovative packaging opportunites.