Food Safety Tips

What are safe handling practices once at home?

• Wash hands with warm, soapy water before and after handling fresh produce. Do not wash prior to storage in the refrigerator; this procedure favours the development of spoilage microorganisms.
• To wash fruits and vegetables, use running water safe enough to drink, to remove any dirt. This also reduces the number of bacteria present on the surface of produce.
• Do not use detergent or soap. These have not been approved for use on produce and might leave residues even after rinsing.
• When preparing fruits and vegetables, remove any damaged or bruised areas because pathogens can easily develop there. Fresh produce should be refrigerated within two hours of peeling or cutting. Discard leftover cut produce if left at room temperature for more than two hours.
• Vinegar has antimicrobial activity but the concentration and duration of contact is important; adding a small amount of vinegar to a large quantity of water to wash fruits and vegetables is not effective and is not recommended.
• Wash working areas often. Cutting boards, utensils and dishes should be washed with hot soapy water and sanitized with a solution of 5 ml (1 teaspoon) chlorine bleach in 750 ml water (3 cups). It is a good practice to have many colour-coded cutting boards: one for produce, one for raw meat, etc.
• Be sure to wash cucumbers when preparing meals, the plastic wrap does not indicate that its sterile.