BEST WAYS TO KEEP RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLE SAFE

BEST WAYS TO KEEP RAW FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SAFE

PREPARED BY SHAYO PASCAL  BAPRM 47634

• Wash your hands with hot soap water before and after preparing food.
• Clean your counter top, cutting boards, and utensils after peeling produce and before cutting and chopping. Bacteria from the outside of raw produce can be transferred to the inside when it is cut or peeled. Wash kitchen surfaces and utensils with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
• Do not wash produce with soaps or detergents.
• Use clean potable cold water to wash items.
• For produce with thick skin, use a vegetable brush to help wash away hard-to-remove microbes.
• Some produce such as raspberries should not be soaked in water. Put fragile produce in a colander and spray it with distilled water.
• After washing, dry with clean paper towel. This can remove more bacteria.
• Eating on the run? Fill a spray bottle with distilled water and use it to wash apples and other fruits.
• Don’t forget that homegrown, farmers market, and grocery store fruits and vegetables should also be well washed.
• Do not rewash packaged products labeled “ready-to-eat,” “washed” or “triple washed.”
• Once cut or peeled, refrigerate as soon as possible at 40ºF or below.
• Do not purchase cut produce that is not refrigerated