An Interactive Workshop on Food Safety Best Practices for a Niche Fruit, the Western BlueElderberry, Led to Increased Knowledge on Key Food Safety Concepts

The Western blue elderberry is a plant native to western North America. Alongside longstanding use by indigenous peoples in this region, its value in sustainable agricultural practices and potential to produce value added products has been increasingly recognized. As the market expands for the Western blue elderberry, food safety education is needed for those growing and processing this crop. In this work, a food safety educational program was developed specifically for this niche audience which included guidance documents, videos and in-person workshops. Topics for inclusion were informed by a needs-assessment survey on current practices utilized by those engaging in harvesting and processing of elderberries (n=45). The majority of respondents processing elderberries also grew and harvested the crop. The most common types of processing were drying, freezing, and manufacturing of syrups, cordials, jams, and teas. The workshops covered food safety best practices during harvesting, post-harvest handling, and processing of the Western blue elderberry. A retrospective pre-/post-learning assessment showed increases in knowledge in 32 individuals participating in two workshops. This work also provides insights related to two food safety risks associated with elderberries, cyanogenic glycosides and acidity, and highlights additional needs for research to evaluate risks associated with elderberries.