94 Part I: Eating Right with Every Bite
Brushing Up on Food Safety
Food safety is not an option but a necessity. No matter how great your food
tastes, if your food, cooking utensils, and cutting boards are not handled
properly you meal can be ruined by foodborne illness. In this section you find
out how to keep your kitchen and food as clean and safe as possible.
Taking care of fresh and raw foods
Fresh fruits and vegetables and raw meats are always better than processed,
but “safety first” is the rule to keep from getting sick. With a few tips and
tricks you can ensure all your meals are safe to eat.
After vegetables are picked from the fields they go through a rinse cycle
before being packed and shipped to stores to be sold. However, a lot of food
is cleaned at a time and it doesn’t get the tender love and care you personally
can give your vegetables and fruits before eating.
Following are some tips for safely handling and prepping produce:
✓ Choose fresh fruits and vegetables carefully. When shopping, look for
produce that’s not damaged or bruised and make sure that precut
produce is refrigerated.
✓ Clean all surfaces and utensils with soap and hot water, including
cutting boards, peelers, countertops, and knives that will touch fresh
produce. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds
before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables.
✓ Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables, including those with skins and rinds
that are not eaten, under clean running water and avoid using detergents
or bleach.
- Remove the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and
cabbage before washing.
- Produce with firm skin, such as potatoes, may require rubbing
with a vegetable brush while rinsing under clean running water to
remove all soil.
- Don’t rinse until just before eating, to avoid premature spoilage.
✓ Dry fruits and vegetables with a clean towel.
