December 3, 2003

 

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Keep Produce in Diet Despite Recent Scares, Food Specialist Says

Don’t overreact to recent outbreaks of food poisoning stemming from fresh produce, says a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist. Fresh fruits and vegetables remain a necessary part of a healthy diet and there are steps you can take to improve their safety.

"About 20 percent of foodborne illness in the United States is linked back to produce," says Julie Garden-Robinson. "But you have to keep these outbreaks in perspective. Fruits and vegetables are good for your health in other ways and with all the fruit and vegetables eaten daily, outbreaks really don’t happen very often."

The recent outbreaks do place a food safety focus on the way we handle fruits and vegetables. That’s where contamination is often introduced and safety can most easily be improved, she says.

Washing tops the list of food safety practices for fresh produce. All fresh produce should be washed under running water. Don’t use detergents or soaps which can leave residues. Where appropriate use a clean vegetable brush. Peel away damaged areas that can harbor harmful microbes, Garden-Robinson recommends.

Similarly, wash your hands often. "Use plenty of soap and hot water and wash them for at least 20 seconds. Washing hands is especially important when moving from one task to the next or after touching surfaces that might be contaminated. Those surfaces may include the telephone, the refrigerator handle, your hair or your face.

Also wash cutting boards, knives, other kitchen utensils and countertops frequently. "Avoid cross-contamination. Using knives or cutting boards for unwashed or uncooked food and then using them again after the food is cooked or washed without cleaning them," she says.

"We can’t see that hands, knives, or cutting boards are contaminated with harmful bacteria, but research shows these surfaces are a common way of spreading bacteria," Garden-Robinson notes.

She notes that food safety practices can start during your shopping trip. Choose high quality fruits and vegetables, avoiding produce that is overripe, has soft spots or visible blemishes. Place produce in your cart away from meat to avoid any contact with meat juices.

Once vegetables are at home, treat them as perishables, especially once they’ve been cut up. "One of the issues we face is the perception that produce is always safe at room temperature. It’s not. Once it’s been cut up it’s perishable and should be refrigerated after a couple of hours just like other perishable foods," she says.

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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