Most cooks are aware of the importance of sanitation when handling raw meat — but failing to take similar precautions with produce might be just as dangerous.
Public health data confirms that fruit and veggies have been connected to more foodborne illnesses within the US than animal proteins in recent times, with produce often contaminated by pathogens found naturally in soil, picked up along the provision chain or in our kitchen.
These organisms can result in dire health conditions including food poisoning and deadly infections.
“At all times assume that [produce] might be covered with pathogens,” Darin Detweiller, an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University, recently told HuffPost.
No matter what’s on the menu, cleansing surfaces, tools and ingredients are all vital steps to staying protected and healthy when preparing a meal.
First, wash your hands
Everyone should know how you can thoroughly wash their hands after the COVID-19 pandemic, but here’s a reminder:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply antibacterial soap.
- Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails with the soap.
- Scrub your hands for at the very least 20 seconds- the length of humming “Pleased Birthday” twice.
- Rinse your hands well.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Next, wash the produce
After pulling out all of your ingredients, a very powerful step is to properly wash all produce individually, per the Food and Drug Administration.
For produce with skin intended to be discarded, wash before peeling. This prevents dirt and germs from the skin from making its way inside.
Fruit and veggies ought to be held under frivolously running water as you’re employed the surface along with your hands or a delegated produce-only scrub, not leaving a speck of dirt. And don’t skip the thick-skinned melons, citrus or heads of lettuce and cabbage either. All of them need a rinse before removing their outer layers.
Finally, use a picket cutting board
Consider it or not, picket cutting boards are probably the most sanitary option when chopping up produce after your trip to the farmer’s market, in line with Julian Bond, executive chef and vice chairman of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.
“Picket boards have natural antibacterial properties that may help keep your produce safer. Plus, they’re gentle in your knife blades, preserving their sharpness,” Bond told Huff Post.
After prep is complete, wash the board with soap and leave in a well-ventilated space to dry before reuse — and never put within the dishwasher, as the warmth can damage the board and let more germs in, in line with Bon Appétit.
Their test kitchen cooks go a couple of steps further to make sure hygienic and long-lasting picket boards, recommending an oil treatment, applying a wax coating, and buffing and polishing regularly.
Most cooks are aware of the importance of sanitation when handling raw meat — but failing to take similar precautions with produce might be just as dangerous.
Public health data confirms that fruit and veggies have been connected to more foodborne illnesses within the US than animal proteins in recent times, with produce often contaminated by pathogens found naturally in soil, picked up along the provision chain or in our kitchen.
These organisms can result in dire health conditions including food poisoning and deadly infections.
“At all times assume that [produce] might be covered with pathogens,” Darin Detweiller, an associate teaching professor at Northeastern University, recently told HuffPost.
No matter what’s on the menu, cleansing surfaces, tools and ingredients are all vital steps to staying protected and healthy when preparing a meal.
First, wash your hands
Everyone should know how you can thoroughly wash their hands after the COVID-19 pandemic, but here’s a reminder:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply antibacterial soap.
- Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails with the soap.
- Scrub your hands for at the very least 20 seconds- the length of humming “Pleased Birthday” twice.
- Rinse your hands well.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.
Next, wash the produce
After pulling out all of your ingredients, a very powerful step is to properly wash all produce individually, per the Food and Drug Administration.
For produce with skin intended to be discarded, wash before peeling. This prevents dirt and germs from the skin from making its way inside.
Fruit and veggies ought to be held under frivolously running water as you’re employed the surface along with your hands or a delegated produce-only scrub, not leaving a speck of dirt. And don’t skip the thick-skinned melons, citrus or heads of lettuce and cabbage either. All of them need a rinse before removing their outer layers.
Finally, use a picket cutting board
Consider it or not, picket cutting boards are probably the most sanitary option when chopping up produce after your trip to the farmer’s market, in line with Julian Bond, executive chef and vice chairman of the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts.
“Picket boards have natural antibacterial properties that may help keep your produce safer. Plus, they’re gentle in your knife blades, preserving their sharpness,” Bond told Huff Post.
After prep is complete, wash the board with soap and leave in a well-ventilated space to dry before reuse — and never put within the dishwasher, as the warmth can damage the board and let more germs in, in line with Bon Appétit.
Their test kitchen cooks go a couple of steps further to make sure hygienic and long-lasting picket boards, recommending an oil treatment, applying a wax coating, and buffing and polishing regularly.
