Wash Bananas? Tips for Food Prep

It's easy to eat well in the summer, when local farmers markets are selling sweet, crunchy watermelon, juicy tomatoes and leafy green lettuce. Keep your fruits and veggies delicious and safe throughout the year by following a few smart handling tips:

• Wait until it's time to eat it. Washing produce any earlier causes it to spoil faster.
  
  
• Wash your hands. Before you handle any food, make sure your hands are clean. Wash them with soap and water for 15 – 20 seconds.
  
  
• Add water. Rub the dirt off fruits and veggies under running water. Better yet, use the sprayer on your sink. Soaking your produce in a bowl of water does not do as good a job as running it under the tap.
  
  
• Save some money. Experts say water is an effective way to remove dirt and unwanted microorganisms from produce. Store-bought vegetable sprays don't provide an added benefit.
  
  
• Use a brush. Scrub tough-skinned foods such as squash and potatoes.
  
  
• Wash oranges, bananas and cantaloupes. Yes, oranges, bananas, cantaloupes. If you need to peel it, you need to wash it. Why? Because when you cut into the rind or touch the peel, pathogens from the outer layer can get onto the fruity part that you eat.
  
  
• Watch for cross-contamination. Use a different cutting board for produce than you do for meat to prevent bacteria from getting on your fruits and vegetables.
  
  
• Dig out the salad spinner. When washing lettuce remove the first few layers of leaves and throw them away. Then rinse and let them air dry or use a spinner to speed up the process. Experts also recommend that you wash premade salads that come in a bag.

Enjoy a safe and healthful summer. Find out more about keeping your food safe at fightbac.org.