Fruit & Vegetable preparation and handling

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is healthy, but care must be taken to be sure fruits and vegetables do not become contaminated with harmful bacteria. In just the United States, one in four people suffers from foodborne illnesses each year. Some of these illnesses have been traced to eating raw fruits or vegetables.

Everyone is at risk for foodborne illness, but people who are younger than 5, older than 50, diabetic, take antibiotics or antacids, and whose immunity is compromised are at higher risk.

Bacteria are everywhere. Harmful bacteria may be on fruits and vegetables, hands, kitchen counters, and sinks, even when they look, feel, or smell clean. As with any food product, you have to be careful in how you handle and prepare what you eat. It's as easy as washing your hands before touching fresh fruits and vegetables.

At the Supermarket

• With fresh-cut produce, like bagged salads or cut fruit, make sure they’re either refrigerated or surrounded by ice before purchase, and don't buy bruised or damaged fruit. It's a great place for bacteria to hide and spread rapidly to the rest of the fruit.

• In the grocery cart, separate fruits and vegetables from meat, poultry, and fish to avoid cross-contamination.

• When bagging fresh fruits and vegetables to take home from the supermarket, put fresh produce and meat, poultry, and fish in separate bags.

Home Storage

• At home, store fruits and vegetables that require refrigeration immediately in the refrigerator-especially anything that's pre-cut or peeled. Use a thermometer to ensure that food in your refrigerator stays at 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) or below.

• All cut or prepared fruits and vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator along with many types of whole fruits and vegetables.

• When using the refrigerator, place produce in the produce drawer or on a refrigerator shelf.

• Store meat, poultry, and fish in the clean meat drawer or on a tray on the bottom shelf below other refrigerated foods. This prevents meat, poultry, or fish juices from dripping on other foods.

Prepare the Kitchen

• Clean the sink with hot, soapy water or cleanser before and after washing and preparing fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Always wash cutting boards and preparation areas before and after food preparation. Wash preparation areas and utensils especially well after preparing meat, poultry, or fish and before preparing foods that will be eaten without cooking.

• If possible, use one cutting board and preparation area for fresh fruits and vegetables and a different cutting board and preparation area for meat, poultry, and fish.

• Always wash knives after cutting meat, poultry, or fish with hot soapy water before cutting fresh fruits and vegetables; or, use different knives for cutting meat products and fresh produce.

• For plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher when you’re done.

• Washing with soap or detergent removes soil and food, but it removes only some bacteria. For additional safety, always sanitise cutting boards and food preparation areas after cutting meat, poultry, fish, or any produce item with visible dirt or that grows on or in the ground. Sanitise by one of the following methods:

1. Pour boiling water over the clean wood or plastic cutting boards for 20 seconds.

   1. Rinse clean wood and plastic cutting boards with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart (4 cups) water.

   2. Place plastic cutting boards in the dishwasher and run, using a normal cleaning cycle.

Wash your Hands

Always wash hands with hot, soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables.

Wash all Fruits and Vegetables

• Always wash fruits and vegetables, including those that are organically grown, come from a farmer’s market, or were grown in your own garden.

• Wash fruits and vegetables just before cooking and eating.

• Wash under running water.

• When possible, scrub fruits and vegetables with a clean scrub brush or with hands.

• For Melons, scrub the rind with a brush under running water before cutting or peeling. This removes bacteria before it is spread by the knife when slicing. Sanitise the brush by putting it in the dishwasher, placing it in boiling water for 20 seconds, or rinsing it in a bleach solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach in 1 quart (f cups) of water.

• Dry fruits and vegetables with disposable paper towels.

• Do not use antibacterial soaps or dish detergents to wash fruits and vegetables because soap or detergent residues can remain on the produce.

• Soaking fruits and vegetables in water is not recommended because of the potential for cross-contamination.

• Remove outer green leaves from items like Lettuce or Cauliflower before washing. Trim the hull or stem from items like tomatoes, strawberries, and chillies after washing.

• Ready-to-eat, pre-washed, bagged produce can be used without further washing if it has been kept refrigerated and is used by the “use-by” date. If desired, produce can be washed again under running water.

• Pre-cut or pre-washed produce sold in open bags or containers should always be washed under running water before using.

• If you're eating fruits and vegetables raw, keep them separate from foods such as raw meat, poultry, or seafood-and the utensils used to prepare them. This will help avoid cross-contamination.

Refrigerate all Leftovers

• Peel leftover Melons and store the fruit in the refrigerator.

• Store all cut produce in a clean container in the refrigerator.

Know the Symptoms of Foodborne Illness

Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.

Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of foodborne illness can include:

• Vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain

• Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, and body ache

Sometimes you can follow all of the steps above and still find that your food has been contaminated beyond your care. If you can identify the signs of food poisoning early, it'll be easier for you to act upon and provide yourself or others the right care needed in order to recover.