The Association of Producers and Packers/Exporters of Avocado of Mexico (APEAM) presented its mobile application APEAM Inocuidad (APEAM Safety), which is aimed specifically at the producing sector and was created to bring them all the necessary information so that producers and packers can continue to maintain the conditions that have led the avocado to become one of the main Mexican export products.
The creation of this mobile application was the result of the constant work that the APEAM does to facilitate the export of avocado in optimal conditions, meeting the requirements of the international markets, and to assist producers in the proper compliance of phytosanitary measures, safety, and certification, with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food and the United States Department of Agriculture.
APEAM has placed special emphasis on the constant training of its producers, especially regarding health issues, one of the main edges of their work and one of the pillars of the success of the Mexican avocado.
The Association has carried out an exhaustive dissemination work that includes the realization of two Facebook Live events, so far, on topics that directly concern their general members, but producers in particular.
The first event took place on March 14 and focused on the Food Safety Modernization Act, also known as the FSMA Law, which is vital producers know, since they will have to comply with it to continue exporting avocado to the USA.
The second event, which was held last week, addressed all the details about a new patent for a disinfectant that could eliminate up to 99.99% of the bacteria present in different fruits, such as avocado, and that is being developed at the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo.
The Association will conduct a third Facebook Live event in the near future to inform producers and packers, as well as the general public, about the Hass Avocado Board and the Hass Avocado Importers Association of Mexico and how they work for the benefit of all the avocado value chain.
Contents of the app
The APEAM Inocuidad mobile app was designed by APEAM's Information Technology Management team with the purpose of providing a base of practical and simple knowledge about the safety standard of fresh agricultural products of the FSMA Law, based on the standardized curriculum of the Produce Safety Alliance's Training course for Producers.
Hence, this app focuses mainly on the Law, which was signed on January 4, 2011 by the former president of the US, Barack Obama. "This is the most extensive reform of the US food safety law in more than 70 years. The final standard was published on November 27, 2016. The regulation came into force 60 days after the publication date, on January 26, 2016. It is the first mandatory federal standard for the production of fruits and vegetables in the US," according to one of the videos that can be accessed in the app.
One of its main contents are the reference documents of the Produce Safety Alliance, as Katia Aguilar, the Safety Manager of APEAM, had stated in the first Facebook Live event aimed at producers.
According to Jesus Martinez Castillo, IT Manager of APEAM, "in addition to accessing the content of the FSMA Law, the app will allow producers to access video tutorials to comply with the rules, and they will receive additional information on the law and its evolution."
The content of this mobile app includes: an introduction to safety; training for workers on health and hygiene issues; control and management of wildlife, domestic animals and land use; as well as post harvest handling.
Where to get the app
The app can be downloaded from any of the two mobile application stores for Android (Play Store) and Apple iOS systems (App Store). It can be located in the search with the words "APEAM" or "APEAM Inocuidad".
APEAM will continue to work to find new ways to continue being a link between all members of the Mexican avocado industry so that Mexico can continue to be the number one exporter of this fruit. We all are APEAM!