Southwest District Health, providing health care services to SW Idaho

Produce Safety
by C. J. Soltis
Senior Environmental Health Specialist
Southwest District Health Food Protection Program
208.455.5400
November 2011

The most recent recalls of cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, and grape tomatoes provide a great opportunity to heighten awareness on how to prevent food borne illnesses by following safe food handling practices.

Many types of harmful bacteria and toxins may contaminate produce at all stages from the field to your table. Eating contaminated produce may cause serious illness and sometimes death. Using safe handling tips in purchasing, preparing, and storing your produce will greatly reduce the risk of you or your family becoming ill.

Always remember to wash your hands properly with soap and water. Hand washing can be the most effective and simplest method to rid your hands of dirt and germs from entering into your body. It is estimated that proper hand washing can eliminate close to half of all cases of food borne illnesses, including Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Shigellosis, Staphylococcus, Listeria, and e.Coli.

Always purchase produce that has no visible signs of decay or is not bruised or damaged.

If in doubt about damaged produce, cut away the damaged areas or discard entirely.

Wash produce thoroughly before eating by using running water or following the manufacturer’s label instructions for chemical disinfectants. It is still important to wash produce even if you plan on peeling it.

Firm produce, such as cucumbers and melons, should be scrubbed with a clean produce brush.

Keep temperatures in your refrigerator at 40º F or below.

Pre-cut or peeled produce should be refrigerated.

In general, Southwest District Health Consumer Protection Program encourages everyone to follow four steps to food safety-- Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. These simple precautions will greatly reduce the risk of food borne illness.

Clean— Wash your hands, cutting boards, utensils, and countertops

Separate— Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood separate from ready-to-eat foods to reduce the spread of bacteria through cross contamination. After cooking foods, never place the cooked foods on a plate that held raw meats or eggs.

Cook—Use a food thermometer to ensure foods are cooked to a safe internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria. In general, cook both eggs and fish to 145º F; beef and pork to 160º F; and poultry to 165º F.

Chill— Cold temperatures greatly reduce the growth of harmful bacteria. Keep an appliance thermometer in your refrigerator to verify the temperature is 40º or below. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Never let raw meat, eggs, cooked food, or cut fresh fruits or vegetables sit for more than two hours before returning to the refrigerator.

Remember that your family’s health is in your hands, so proper cleaning, separating, cooking, and chilling will go a long way to prevent illness within your family. Please remember to report any suspected food borne illnesses to Southwest District Health or your local health department.

Recommendations for specific types of produce