Skip to contentThe Route to Safer Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Show
Although fruits and vegetables are one of the healthiest foods sources in our diet, we continue to have foodborne disease outbreaks of
significance from produce, sometimes affecting large groups of people in multiple states because of their wide distribution. The CDC estimates that fresh produce now causes a huge number of foodborne illness outbreaks in the United States. Produce needs our continued food safety efforts at the restaurant level as well as at the stages in agricultural production. Occasionally, fresh fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with harmful bacteria or viruses, such as Salmonella, E. coli
0157:H7, Norovirus, and Hepatitis A. This contamination can occur at any point from the field to our table. If eaten, contaminated fruits and vegetables can cause foodborne illness. How does produce become contaminated? Because most produce is grown in a natural environment, it is vulnerable to contamination with pathogens (disease causing microorganisms). Factors that may affect produce contamination include agricultural water quality, the use of manure as
fertilizer, the presence of animals in fields or packing areas, and the health and hygiene of workers handling the produce during production, packing, processing, transportation, distribution, or preparation. The fact that produce is often consumed raw without any type of intervention (no cook or kill step) that would reduce, control, or eliminate pathogens prior to consumption contributes to its potential as a source of foodborne illness. Recent notable outbreaks from produce involved tomatoes,
sprouts, green onions, cut melons, parsley, lettuce, strawberries, and juices such as un-pasteurized apple cider and orange juice. Safer storage, preparation & segregationAlthough foodborne illness can be serious, there are several easy steps you can take in a food service kitchen to help keep fresh fruits and vegetables safe to eat.
Wash it!Wash fruits and vegetables under slightly warmer running water, just before eating, cutting, or cooking.
Washing Tips
What about produce washes? On the market today are several products called produce washes. These products usually include substances such as phosphates, baking soda or citric acid. Some of these products may help remove additional dirt, pesticides and bacteria from fruits and vegetables. However, these products are expensive and they are not recommended by any federal agency to clean fresh produce. Ethylene gas & produce—Some fruits and vegetables, like bananas and tomatoes, naturally produce ethylene gas when they ripen. Often they are harvested in the un-ripened state to preserve firmness and for long shelf life. They are later exposed to ethylene gas to induce ripening by produce companies before shipping. Bottom Line: How can you as a manager help keep your produce safe? Recognize that some fruits and vegetables are potentially hazardous foods (TCS- time and temperature control for safety foods). Work with your suppliers to review sources of your produce, and to insist upon good agricultural practices. Encourage your staff to take the risks seriously and practice impeccable personal hygiene when handling fresh fruits and vegetables, as pathogens on human hands can contaminate these products. Wash fresh produce, but don’t count on washing to remove all pathogens; it doesn’t. Within your operation, be sure to store any chopped or prepped produce under refrigeration. *** About the Author: Lacie ThrallLacie Thrall passed away in early 2017 after a long illness. She dedicated her 35-year career to improving the health and well-being of others by promoting food safety best practices. Lacie worked in environmental health for 17 years before joining FoodHandler in 1997 as the Director of Safety Management. While at FoodHandler, she trained employees and customers on safe food handling practices, including proper hand hygiene and glove use. Later as a FoodHandler consultant, Lacie provided the foodservice industry with food safety information and advice through her blog on FoodHandler.com.TitlePage load linkWhat are the procedures in preparation of fresh vegetables?Step 1: Check. • Check to be sure that the fresh fruits and vegetables you buy are not bruised or damaged. ... . Step 2: Clean. • Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables. ... . Step 3: Separate. • ... . Step 4: Cook. • ... . Step 5: Chill. • ... . Step 6: Throw Away. •. What do you need to do to safely prepare fruits and vegetables that are not cooked?Prepare & handle correctly. Wash and dry hands thoroughly before starting to prepare any food.. Wash all fruit and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating.. Scrub fruit and vegetables with hard surfaces (such as rockmelons, oranges, potatoes and carrots) with a clean produce brush.. How should raw fruits and vegetables be washed before eating?Gently rub produce while holding under plain running water. There's no need to use soap or a produce wash. Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
How can food handlers reduce bacteria to safe levels when prepping vegetables for hot handling?To reduce pathogens in food to safe levels you need to cook it to its required minimum internal temperature. Once the temperature is reached, you must hold the food at that temperature for a specific amount of time.
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