Test Your Produce Safety Savvy | FoodSafety.gov

Test Your Produce Safety Savvy | FoodSafety.gov

Test Your Produce Safety Savvy

Mar 14, 2016

By: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

How well do you make good produce safety choices?

Being healthy includes eating fruits and vegetables, which add nutrients to diets, reduces the risk for heart disease, stroke, and some cancers, and helps manage body weight when consumed in place of more energy-dense foods. But sometimes harmful germs like Salmonella , E. coli , and Listeria, can live on fruits and vegetables and make you and your family sick.

Test your savvy when selecting, storing, and preparing produce. And read the bonus “produce tips” below.

At the Store or Market

• Before produce shopping, read the current food recalls.
• Get fruits and vegetables home and in the refrigerator in two hours or less.

In Your Kitchen

• Use a refrigerator thermometer to make sure the temperature stays at 40°F or below.
• Clean cutting boards and utensils with hot, soapy water or in the dishwasher (if dishwasher-safe) after each use.
• Store raw meat on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator away from fresh produce and ready-to-eat food.

CDC Resources:

More Information

• Steps to Safe and Healthy Fruits and Vegetables [644 KB]
• Gear up for Food Safety [288 KB]
• Food Safety at CDC
• CDC Vital Signs Report: Safer Food Saves Lives
• FoodSafety.gov
• Be Food Safe: Four Simple Steps
• Why is it important to eat vegetables?
• Why is it important to eat fruits?