Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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 or 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. Sanitize
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 (4 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. The FDA has not
evaluated the safety of the residues that remain on the produce. However, the effec-
tiveness of these washes is not currently standardized.
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 caulifl ower
before
washing.
Trim the hull or stem from items like tomatoes, strawberries, and peppers
after
washing.
Ready-to-eat, prewashed, 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.
Precut or prewashed produce sold in open bags or containers should always be
washed under running water before using.
Refrigerate All Leftovers
Peel leftover melons and store fruits in the refrigerator. Store all cut produce in a
clean container in the refrigerator.
Useful Websites for More Information
USDA/FDA Foodborne Illness Education Information center
http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/index.html
U.S. FDA/Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/list.html
Gateway to Government Food Safety Information
http://www.foodsafety.gov
References
Ajzen I . 1991 . The theory of planned behavior . Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes
50 : 179 - 211 .
Albrecht JA. 1995. Food safety knowledge and practices of consumers in the U.S.A. Journal of Consumer
Studies and Home Economics 19 : 119 - 134 .
Altekruse SF , Street DA , Fein SB , Levy AS . 1995 . Consumer knowledge of foodborne microbial hazards
and food - handling practices . Journal of Food Protection 59 : 287 - 294 .
