May 5, 2005

Mishandling Fresh Produce Can Trigger Illnesses

Spring means a new crop of fruits and vegetables will be landing in grocery store produce bins.

And, as the weather turns warm, people will be inviting friends and family to picnics, backyard barbecues, graduation parties and other get-togethers that include fresh fruits and vegetables. But they might be inviting foodborne illness as well if they don’t handle that produce properly.

While the U.S. food supply is one of the safest in the world, foodborne illness continues to be a national public health threat. Although the incidence of foodborne illness related to fresh produce is low, such illnesses are on the rise. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that during the mid-1990s, fresh produce caused 14 percent of the estimated 76 million cases of foodborne illness per year. That compares with 8 percent during the late 1980s and early 1990s and 4 percent in the mid-1980s.

The CDC says the cases of produce-related foodborne illness are increasing because detection is more sophisticated, technology helps identify widespread outbreaks more easily and people are eating more fresh fruits and vegetables than they did 20 years ago. What they eat also has changed. They’re consuming more uncooked or minimally processed produce and produce imported from countries that might not have as stringent food safety standards as the U.S. They also are eating more often at salad bars, which can be an ideal place for the growth of pathogens that cause foodborne illness.

Salmonella, E. coli 0157:H7, shigella, B. cereus and campylobacter are among the primary bacteria that have caused major outbreaks of foodborne illness associated with produce. Symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramping, fever and headaches. Severe cases can lead to death.

However, the potential risks shouldn’t stop people from eating fresh fruits and vegetables, nutritionists contend.

“Eating more fruits and vegetables is an excellent goal for better health,” says Julie Garden-Robinson, a North Dakota State University Extension Service food and nutrition specialist. “Enjoy the colorful fruits and vegetables of the season, but be sure to handle it safely from the store, garden or farmer’s market all the way to the table.”

She has these recommendations to help people protect themselves:

• Make sure the produce isn’t bruised or damaged.
• Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, such as packaged salads and precut melons, should be refrigerated at the store. Do not buy fresh-cut items that are not refrigerated.
• Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh produce.
• Use hot water and soap to clean all surfaces and utensils that will touch the produce, such as cutting boards, countertops, peelers and knives, before and after food preparation.
• Rinse fresh produce, including those with skins and rinds that won’t be eaten, under running tap water. Packaged fruits and vegetables labeled “ready to eat,” “washed” or “triple washed” don’t need to be washed.
• Run firm-skinned produce under running tap water or scrub with a clean vegetable brush while rinsing with running tap water. Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh produce because those cleaners aren’t meant for consumption.
• Dry produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel.
• When shopping, keep fresh produce separated from household chemicals and raw foods, such as meat, poultry and seafood, in the shopping cart and grocery bags. Also keep fresh produce away from raw meat, poultry and seafood in the refrigerator.
• Do not use the same cutting board or utensils to prepare fresh produce and raw foods without washing those implements with soap and hot water between uses.
• Cook or throw away produce that has touched raw meat, poultry and seafood or their juices.
• Refrigerate all fresh produce within two hours after it has been cut, peeled or cooked. Toss out any produce that doesn’t meet the refrigeration deadline.
• Remove and throw away the bruised or damaged portion of produce when getting ready to cook it or eat it raw.

Check out these Web sites for more information about food safety: www.fightbac.org, www.hec.osu.edu/highriskfoodsafety and www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu.
Editor: Ellen Crawford, (701) 231-5391, ecrawfor@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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