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Food Safety In Maine

Fruits and Vegetables

Nothing Says "summer" like fresh produce: tomatoes still warm from the sun, strawberries meltingly sweet, the sharp tang of argula.

At the same time, consumers need to remember that dangerous micro-organisms can be everywhere--even on our summertime vegetables.

Whether they're grown in another country or our own back yard, our fruits and vegetables can harbor dangerous pathogens. They can become contaminated by the soil they're grown in or water used for irrigation or rinsing.

Many resources are available for both consumers and producers to reduce risks of illness.

Key tips to remember:

  • The fresher the better: Avoid buying produce with wilted, moldy or slimy parts where bacteria can multiply. Only buy what you need. According to the Produce Marketing Association, most items should be used within a few days.
  • Clean, clean, clean: Just before you use it, wash it all--fruits and vegetables. This includes fruits with rinds or skin. Don't use detergent or bleach--it could be absorbed through the skin.
  • Keep the other germs away! Don't let fresh fruit or vegetables come in contact with raw meat, poultry, or seafood. This also means making sure that you thoroughly wash any plates or knives that might have touched raw meat before you use them with produce
  • Refrigerate cut-up fruit immediately.
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