GAP is quality and control of agricultural products. It is based on the principals of risk prevention, risk analysis, sustainable agriculture and the means for continuously improvement of farming systems.
GAP is essential for international trade in food to developed countries were GAP is used. Consumers are increasingly concerned about food safety, how food it was grown, produced, and how it is handled within the supply chain. GAP is able to provide the consumer with a sense of quality that they require.
It terms of GAP, it can be applied in the same way to medical cannabis cultivation as it can for other herbs and food items.
GAP is not limited to food, it includes herbal medicines as well. The quality in herbal medicines play a major role on its function and lack of quality may result in adverse effects on patients.
The safety and quality of raw herbals and finished products made from herbals depends on the genetics of the plat or growing conditions (environment, nutrients, pesticides, cultivation, harvest, post-harvest processing, and storage.
Proper sanitation, pest and microbiological control should be implemented during growing and through the supply chain in order to maintain the safety and quality of the herbal products.
GAP includes the following fields:
Security for the farm
Safety of the food
Farming systems, live stock care, proper nourishment
GAP requires to have an additional control for growing using controlled documents, working instructions, product testing, handling, storage and data control.
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