Best ways to wash fruits and vegetables

With the recent food - borne  outbreaks related to produce, consumers, more than ever, have heightened concerns over the safety of fresh produce. It is important to know how to prevent food - borne illness related to these types of food. Washing fruits and vegetables is the best way to reduce your risk for food - borne illness.

Best ways to keep raw fruits and vegetables safe?

1.Wash your hands with hot soapy water before and after preparing food.

2.Clean your counter top , cutting board and utensils after peeling produce and before cutting and chopping.

3.Do not wash produce with soap and detergent.

4.Use clean potable  cold water to wash items.

5.For produce with thick skin, use a  vegetable brush to help  wash away hard to remove microbes.

6.Produce  with a lot of  nooks and crannies  like cauliflower, broccoli or lettuce should be soaked for 1 to 2 minute in cold  clean water.

7.Clean the whole thing  even the parts you don't eat.Bacteria can live  on the rinds or  skins of  food like bananas , potatoes or rutabagas.  Though you may  peel them away and toss the coverings  in the trash , the bacteria can be transferred from the rind to knife , then to the part  you're cutting.

 8. Some produce such as raspberries should not be soaked in water. Put fragile produce in  colander and spray it with distilled water.

9.After washing,  dry with clean paper towel. This  can remove more microbes.

10.Once cut or peeled ,  refrigerate as soon as possible at 40 degree  or below.