In American English, produce generally refers to fresh fruits and vegetables intended to be eaten by humans, although other food products such as dairy products or nuts are sometimes included. In other English usage, the term "greens" is often used.Charvátová, V. P., Eat Your Greens!, Viva!, published on 1 December 2023, accessed on 2 March 2026
In supermarkets, the term is also used to refer to the section of the store where fruit and vegetables are kept. Produce is the main product sold by greengrocers (UK, Australia) and farmers' markets. The term "produce" is widely and commonly used in the U.S. and Canada, but is not typically used outside the agricultural sector in other English-speaking countries.
Packaging
Produce may be packaged for transport or sale. Excessive unnecessary packaging of produce is overpackaging.
In parts of the world, including the U.S. and Europe, loose pieces of produce, such as apples, may be individually marked with small stickers bearing price look-up codes. These four- or five-digit codes are a standardized system intended to aid checkout and inventory control at places where produce is sold.
Bacterial contamination
Raw sprouts are among the produce most at risk of bacterial infection.
Rinsing is an effective way to reduce the bacteria count on produce, reducing it to about 10 percent of its previous level.
Wastewater used on vegetables can be a source of contamination, due to contamination with fecal matter, salmonella or other bacteria. After Denmark eliminated salmonella in its chickens, attention has turned to vegetables as a source of illness due to feces contamination from other animal sources, such as pigs.
See also
Food industry Food labeling regulations Food traceability Geography of food Produce traceability
Notable people Frieda Rapoport Caplan James Dole
References
Further reading
Doyle, Martin (1857). Farm & Garden Produce: A Treasury of Information. G. Routledge & Co. OCLC Number: 39049007 Microbial Safety of Fresh Produce - Google Books The Produce Contamination Problem: Causes and Solutions - Google Books Produce Degradation: Pathways and Prevention - Google Books Decontamination of Fresh and Minimally Processed Produce - Google Books Microbiology of Fresh Produce - Google Books Slow food: A Passion for Produce - Google Books Melissa's Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce - Google Books Procurement and Marketing of Minor Forest Produce in Tribal Areas - Google Books Public Produce: The New Urban Agriculture - Google Books Global standard for food safety: guideline for category 5 fresh produce (North American version) - Google Books
External links