July 24, 2003

Prairie Fare: Being Picky about Produce

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

As I paused in the produce aisle during a recent grocery trip, I noticed someone carefully choosing some broccoli. She placed it in a plastic bag and dropped it in child seat area of the grocery cart.

A large piece of broccoli fell out of the bag, slipped through the gap in the cart, and rolled across the floor. She quickly tossed the stray broccoli back into the produce bin and continued with her shopping.

What can we learn from this scenario? We certainly need to thoroughly wash all fresh produce at home. We have no way of knowing how many trips it has taken out of the produce bin or how many people have touched it from the field to the store.

Fresh produce safety is a topic of concern. Improperly handled fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with Salmonella, E. coli and other types of bacteria. Whether you grow your own produce or purchase it at a grocery store or farmers’ market, it’s important to be picky about produce.

Follow these tips to keep produce safe from store to home:

• Examine fresh fruits and vegetables for signs of freshness before purchase. Look for produce without bruises or cuts.
• Pack fresh produce away from meats in the grocery cart. Place in separate plastic bags when possible.
• Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before preparing fruits and vegetables.
• Rinse all fresh produce with running water using a brush if necessary. Melons in particular should be scrubbed. Do not use soap, which can leave residues.
• Remove outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage.
• Use separate cutting boards for cutting up fresh produce and meat.
• Clean cutting boards with soap and water. Sanitize with a solution of 1 tsp. bleach per 1 quart water.
• Cut away bruised parts of produce before eating. Bacteria and other microorganisms may be harbored in the bruised parts.
• Serve cut-up fresh produce in serving containers over ice.
• Store leftover produce in containers that are free from excess liquid, which can promote spoilage.
• Store cut-up fruits below 41 degrees, and use within a few days.

While cooking is a way to inactivate microorganisms, it also can lead to nutrient losses. To preserve nutrients, steam, broil, microwave or cook in a small amount of water. Avoid boiling. Prolonged exposure to water and heat can break down chemicals that are unstable to high temperatures. Serve foods promptly. The longer they stand, the more nutrients are lost.

Here’s a tasty vegetable dip that’s low in calories and fat.

Vegetable Dip

1 8-oz. carton low-fat sour cream
1 8-oz. carton plain fat-free yogurt
1 0.4-oz. envelope Ranch dry salad dressing mix
Assorted cut-up vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower
Mix dip ingredients and refrigerate. Serve with cut-up vegetables.

Makes about 16 servings, 2 tablespoons each. Each serving contains 30 calories, 2.2 grams fat and 1.7 grams carbohydrate.

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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

[Editors: We’ve updated the illustrated column identifier for Julie Garden-Robinson’s Prairie Fare column. If you’re using an older version or if you would like to use the identifier, please download this printable EPS file. Prairie Fare (142 Kb eps file)]