How Should Fruits and Vegetables Be Washed?

Discussion Fruits and vegetables are great sources of nutrition and often are eaten raw. However, they can become contaminated during harvest, transportation, production, preparation and storage. Produce accounts for about half of all foodborne illness and about 20% of foodborne deaths. Outbreaks have been associated with all food sources including home gardens, local farms and large scale commercial food operations. Vegetables most associated with illness are leafy green vegetables, herbs and sprouts. Learning Point What are the best ways to keep raw fruits and vegetables safe? “Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after preparing food. Clean your counter top, cutting boards, and utensils after peeling produce and before cutting and chopping. Bacteria from the outside of raw produce can be transferred to the inside when it is cut or peeled. Wash kitchen surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item. Do not wash produce with soaps or detergents. [They are not designed for this and residual product may be retained on the food. Fruits and vegetables are also porous and may absorb the detergent.] Use clean potable cold water to wash items. [Some people recommend distilled water as it has been purified and filtered to remove contaminants.] For produce with thick skin, use a vegetable brush to help wash away hard-to-remove microbes. Produce with a lot of nooks and crannies like cauliflower, broccoli or lettuce should be soaked for 1 t...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news