significant source. They have caused
outbreaks of nearly every major food
pathogen known (see box below). There are
several reasons for this. Fruits and vegetables
are grown in the soil, a vast reservoir of
microbes. Field facilities for the harvesting
crew (toilets, wash water) and for processing
and packing may not be hygienic, so the
produce is easily contaminated by people,
containers, and machinery. And produce is
often eaten raw. Salad bars in restaurants and
cafeterias can collect and grow bacteria for
hours, and have been associated with many
outbreaks of food poisoning. Fruit juices,
often made by crushing whole fruits, are
readily contaminated by a small number of
infected pieces; so fresh cider has become
hard to find. Nearly all juice production in the
United States is now pasteurized.
Disease Outbreaks Caused by Raw
Fruits and Vegetables