Last fall, Albertson's Inc., Boise, Idaho, selected AAC as a credible auditor of produce suppliers to the retail chain, and AAC has been listed as an affiliate auditor on the PrimusLabs.com Web site, according to a news release.

"Control at the farm level is the first step in helping to assure consumers that their food supply remains the safest in the world," Anthony Celeste, president of AAC, said in the release. "AAC is pleased to be able to assist suppliers and retailers to verify that appropriate measures are being taken.

AAC was formed in 1960 to provide regulatory guidance to industries regulated by the Food and Drug Administration.

It has 21 consultants and auditors across the country to assist produce growers and packers with food safety practices, and the company plans to add additional auditors in the coming months, according to the release.