April 10, 2003

Prairie Fare: Does Washing Food Make it Safer?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

I was looking out my window the other day and noticed our brown lawn had a few green spears of grass. Some tulips had sprouted, braving the still-cool weather. I also noted that either my eyes were getting worse or the windows needed a good cleaning.

Looking critically around the house and garage, I saw that spring cleaning was unavoidable after a winter of hibernation. Following a long season of snowy cold weather, most people are ready to shed winter’s soil along with their heavy coats and boots.

As cooking moves from kitchens to decks and patios, a frequent question becomes: should food be washed during preparation, too? The answer: It all depends on the food.

Spring means many types of fresh produce, like strawberries and grapes, are in season. All fresh fruits and vegetables should be washed thoroughly with plenty of cold running water -- but no soap -- before eating or preparing. Trim away damaged or bruised areas, because bacteria can thrive in those spots.

Foods with a harder surface like apples, melons and potatoes can be scrubbed with a produce brush and rinsed thoroughly. Softer produce like peaches and strawberries should be rinsed well under cold running tap water. Refrigerate all cut-up produce immediately. Serve fresh produce in containers over ice as the weather warms and serving moves outdoors.

Egg salad and homemade custard ice cream are other popular springtime foods. Should eggs be washed? Unless eggs are visibly soiled, they do not need to be washed before use. In commercial egg processing plants, eggs are washed thoroughly and a light coating of mineral oil is applied to help protect the egg. For safety and best quality, keep eggs refrigerated in their original carton instead of placing them in the egg holders found in many refrigerator doors.

The aroma of cooking chicken breasts, hot dogs, steaks and burgers wafts through the neighborhood as grills are fired up in early spring. Many people believe they should rinse meat and poultry before cooking. Washing meat, however, can lead to cross contamination -- spreading bacteria around the kitchen.

Most bacteria are found on the surface of meat and poultry. These "germs" are killed by cooking the meat to recommended internal temperatures: 160 degrees for burgers and 170 degrees for chicken breasts. For safety’s sake, always use a food thermometer to check doneness.

Despite these recommendations, some people still prefer to rinse meat and poultry before cooking. If you choose to rinse meat or poultry, take some steps to avoid cross contamination. Wash the sink, cutting boards and/or counter top area with plenty of hot soapy water, then rinse with water and sanitize with a bleach solution (1 teaspoon unscented chlorine bleach per quart of water). This sanitizer is only good for about a day.

Here’s a tasty fruit salad recipe just in time for spring events.

Spring Fruit Salad

1 15-oz. can fruit cocktail, juice reserved
1 11-oz. can mandarin oranges, drained (or 1 sectioned, diced orange)
1 apple, cored and diced with peel
1 pear, cored and diced
1 banana
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)
4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tsp. lemon juice

In a large bowl, combine fruit and nuts. In a small mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and lemon juice. Add enough fruit cocktail juice to achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the fruit mixture and toss. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Before serving, slice banana, add to fruit salad and toss again.

Makes 6 servings. With nuts, each serving contains 223 calories, 10 grams fat, 32 grams carbohydrate and 4 grams fiber. Without nuts, each serving contains 159 calories, 4 grams fat, 30 grams carbohydrate and 3.5 grams fiber.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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