Risk of Foodborne Illness from Fresh Produce

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

As it investigates an outbreak of illnesses that may be related to Salmonella typhimurium bacteria in produce, the FDA is reminding consumers of steps they can take to keep their food safe.

Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses.

Foodborne Investigations

Investigations of foodborne illness usually begin at the local health department level. A variety of scientific and technological methods to trace the source of reported illnesses are used. Modern technologies, such as PulseNet (the network of public health laboratories that performs "DNA fingerprinting"), have greatly improved the speed and precision of these types of investigations.

In light of recent outbreaks, FDA is emphasizing consumer advice to reduce the risk of foodborne illness, including Salmonella-related illness, from fresh produce:

Buying Tips for Fresh Produce

• Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.
• When selecting fresh cut produce - such as a half a watermelon or bagged mixed salad greens - choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.
• Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products when packing them to take home from the market.

Storage Tips for Fresh Produce

Certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below. If you're not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer. All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated within two hours to maintain both quality and safety. Keep your refrigerator set at 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check!

Preparation Tips for Fresh Produce

Many precut, bagged produce items like lettuce are pre-washed. If so, it will be stated on the packaging. This pre-washed, bagged produce can be used without further washing.

As an extra measure of caution, you can wash the produce again just before you use it. Precut or prewashed produce in open bags should be washed before using. Begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.

Cut away any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Produce that looks rotten should be discarded. All unpackaged fruits and vegetables, as well as those packaged and not marked pre-washed, should be thoroughly washed before eating. This includes produce grown conventionally or organically at home, or produce that is purchased from a grocery store or farmer's market. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking.

Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it's still important to wash it first. Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended. Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush. Drying produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present.

Separate for Safety

Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from other foods such as raw meat, poultry or seafood - and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

In addition, be sure to:

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry and seafood products and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked. For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and counter tops periodically. Try a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water. If you use plastic or other non-porous cutting boards, run them through the dishwasher after use.

Egg Safety

With the start of 2007, it's a good time to refresh your egg handling and preparation know-how to avoid foodborne illness. Salmonella Enteriditis (SE), bacteria sometimes found in eggs cause an estimated 118,000 illnesses each year, and young children and people with weakened immune systems are the most vulnerable.

Many favorites, such as cookie dough, homemade eggnog, and some types of stuffing, may contain eggs that are raw or undercooked. A 2006 FDA survey of consumer food safety practices found that cookie dough is one of the major sources of raw egg in the American diet, and that only three percent of respondents always use a food thermometer when cooking baked egg dishes such as stuffing.

To avoid egg-related illness from holiday foods:

• Do not eat unbaked cookie dough.
• Cook baked egg-containing dishes to 160° F.
• Make recipes that call for raw or undercooked eggs, like eggnog, with eggs that have been treated to destroy Salmonella or with pasteurized egg products.

FDA requires the following statement on packages of fresh eggs that have not been treated to destroy Salmonella:

Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria, keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.