Bulletin E3256
Enjoying Produce Safely
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October 24, 2022 - Laurie Messing
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To enjoy safe fresh fruits and vegetables at home, follow the tips below to reduce the risk of harmful bacteria contaminating your delicious produce:
- Inspect your produce when shopping or once you arrive home, looking for bruises or visible If produce does have bruising or damage, throw it away.
- Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh fruits and
- Before and after preparing fresh fruits and vegetables, clean all surfaces and utensils, including cutting boards and knives, with hot water and
- Michigan State University Extension does not recommend washing all of your produce after purchase. Just before use, rinse under running water only the fruits and vegetables you plan to eat, including those with skins or rinds that are not eaten, such as watermelon and
- While rinsing under running tap water, rub firm- skinned fruits and vegetables by hand or scrub with a clean brush.
- Do not wash packaged fruits and vegetables labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed” or “triple washed.” This could cause contamination of the clean produce
- Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean paper towel
- Never use soap or bleach to wash fresh fruits or vegetables, since these products are not meant to be eaten
- Refrigerate at or below 40 °F all cut or peeled fresh fruits and vegetables within two hours of preparing.
- Separate your produce from raw eggs, poultry, meat, seafood and household chemicals that may
contaminate it. Raw protein foods contain harmful bacteria that can contaminate ready-to-eat foods such as produce and can lead to foodborne illness.
Reference
Partnership for Food Safety Education. (n.d.). Safe Produce. https://www.fightbac.org/food-safety- education/safe-produce/
Find out more about Michigan Food Safety at www.msue.msu.edu/safefood.
