Safe Handling of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

1 E-198. 5-04. Safe Handling of Fresh F r u i t s and V e g e t a b l e s Peggy Van Laanen and Amanda Scott*. F resh Fruits and Vegetables are an important part of a health- ful diet. They provide vitamins, enter a fruit or vegetable. Damaged Fruits and Vegetables may also spoil faster. If good-qual- minerals and fiber to help keep ity Fresh produce is not available, your body healthy. it may be better to choose canned Occasionally, Fresh Fruits and or frozen Fruits and Vegetables . Vegetables can become contami- When shopping for pre-cut nated with harmful bacteria or Fresh Fruits and Vegetables , buy viruses, which are also known as only those that are refrigerated or pathogens. Examples of pathogens surrounded by ice. Avoid damaged include Salmonella, E.

2 Coli items and open or torn packages. 0157:H7 and Hepatitis A. This Check the use-by dates on pack- contamination can occur at any ages of pre-cut Fruits and vegeta- point from the field to your table. bles, and be sure to choose Fresh If eaten, contaminated fruit and items and to eat them by this date. Vegetables can cause foodborne In the shopping cart, keep Fresh illness. Common signs of food- Fruits and Vegetables separate borne illness include nausea, vom- from raw beef, poultry, fish and iting, diarrhea, headaches and seafood. Place the raw meats in fever. These symptoms usually plastic bags. Blood and juice from appear within 12 to 72 hours. raw meat may contain pathogens Although foodborne illness can that could contaminate Fresh Fruits be serious, there are several easy and Vegetables .

3 Steps you can take to help keep At the grocery checkout, bag Fresh Fruits and Vegetables safe to raw meats separately from Fresh eat. Fruits and Vegetables . Also, keep Fresh produce separate from Shopping household chemicals in the shop- When shopping for Fresh pro- ping cart and in the grocery bags. duce, avoid items that are bruised, damaged or moldy or that show Storing signs of insect damage. Bruises Once you have brought your and cuts may allow pathogens to produce home, it is important that *Professor and Extension Program Leader for Food and Nutrition, and Extension Associate, The Texas A&M University System. you store it properly at room temperature and in Clean the refrigerator as needed. Throw out the refrigerator to prevent foodborne illness.

4 Spoiled food and wipe up spills with hot, soapy water. At room temperature To store Fruits and Vegetables safely at room Preparing temperature: Food can also become contaminated when Do not wash them before storage. Instead, you are preparing it. To prevent foodborne ill- wash them when you are ready to use ness, be sure to keep your hands, your cooking them. If the produce is very dirty, rinse it area and utensils, and your produce clean. and then dry it well before storing it. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water for 20. Keep your storage areas clean and pest-free. seconds before and after Handling food and after Store Fruits and Vegetables in bowls, bins or touching raw meat, changing a diaper, using the mesh bags off the floor.

5 Restroom, Handling a pet or touching anything Keep the produce in a cool, dry, dark place. that could contaminate your hands. Dry your Do not store it near heat sources such as hands with a paper towel. ovens, water heaters, hot water pipes or Also wash all utensils, countertops and cutting direct sunlight. Heat causes food to spoil boards with hot, soapy water. Then sanitize more quickly. them with a mixture of 1 teaspoon chlorine Store Fresh Fruits and Vegetables away from bleach in 1 quart of water. Do this before and household cleaning products. These prod- after preparing food. It is especially important to ucts are poisonous. wash and sanitize cutting boards and utensils Do not place heavy items on top of Fruits that have been in contact with raw meat before and Vegetables because bruising can cause using them with Fresh produce.

6 Spoilage. Wash all whole Fruits and Vegetables before Check stored Fruits and Vegetables often. preparing them even if the skin or rind will Throw away items that show signs of not be eaten. This prevents pathogens from spoilage such as mold or slime. being transferred from the rind or skin to the When in doubt about the safety of a fruit or inside of the fruit or vegetable when it is cut. vegetable, throw it out! Wash Fruits and Vegetables in clean, running water. Do not use detergents, soaps or bleach to In the refrigerator wash produce. These may change the taste and All Fruits and Vegetables must be stored in the could be poisonous. refrigerator once they are cut or peeled. Pre-cut If the Fruits and Vegetables are firm (such as Fruits and Vegetables bought at the store should potatoes or melons), scrub them with a clean, also be refrigerated immediately.

7 Sanitized fruit/vegetable brush. For soft Fruits Here are some tips on storing Fruits and veg- and Vegetables (such as tomatoes), gently rub etables safely in the refrigerator: them with your hands to loosen the dirt. Do not wash whole Fruits and Vegetables Remove and throw away the outer leaves of let- before storing them. tuce and cabbage before washing them. Be sure to store all Fruits and Vegetables in To wash berries, parsley and greens, put them the crisper or produce drawer. Do not over- in a clean colander and spray them with a load the crisper. It is best to buy only the kitchen sink sprayer. Or, gently turn the produce amount of produce you will use within a as you hold it under running water. Be sure to few days. turn and gently shake the colander as you wash Cover cut Fruits and Vegetables tightly with the produce.

8 Plastic wrap. Or, store them in sealed plas- When chopping, slicing or peeling Fresh pro- tic bags or clean, air-tight containers. duce, use separate cutting boards and utensils Keep Fruits and Vegetables separate from for raw meats and Fresh produce, or wash and raw beef, poultry, fish and seafood in the sanitize them between foods. refrigerator. Place raw meats on the bottom Once cut or peeled, Fresh produce should be shelf of the refrigerator in a tray or pan. refrigerated within 2 hours. If it is left at room This will prevent blood or juices from drip- temperature for more than 2 hours, throw it ping onto Fresh produce. away. Do not place heavy items on top of Fruits Remember: To prevent foodborne illness, buy and Vegetables .

9 Good-quality Fruits and Vegetables , store them Keep the temperature of your refrigerator at properly and wash them thoroughly. 40 degrees F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to measure the temperature. Tri-State Fruit and Vegetable Safety Consortium This publication was sponsored by a grant from the Initiative for Future Agriculture Food Systems, a program of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, which is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA-CSREES-IFAFS Grant # 00-52102-9637). Produced by Agricultural Communications, The Texas A&M University System Extension publications can be found on the Web at: Visit Texas Cooperative Extension at: Educational programs of Texas Cooperative Extension are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age or national origin.

10 Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as amended, and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture. Chester P. Fehlis, Director, Texas Cooperative Extension, The Texas A&M University System. New