Raw Produce and Fresh-Squeezed Juices: Handle Them Safely!

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July 19, 2018

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SILVER SPRING, Maryland, July 19, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Fresh fruits and vegetables are highlights of summertime. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reminds you that safe handling of produce and fresh-squeezed juice is especially important because these foods are often consumed raw. Some foodborne-disease-causing germs multiply faster in warm weather – making food safety more important as temperatures rise.

Learn more:
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm114299.htm
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm110526.htm

To prevent food poisoning (also called foodborne illness) and keep nutritious produce and fresh-squeezed juices safe, follow these food safety tips:

Buy Right

Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.
When selecting pre-cut or fresh-cut produce (such as a half a watermelon or bagged salad greens that have been cut), choose items that are refrigerated or on ice.
Keep bagged produce separate from raw meat, poultry, and seafood in your cart and shopping bags.

Wash Thoroughly

Wash produce under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking, and dry with a clean cloth towel or paper towel to further reduce disease-causing germs that may be present.
Even if you plan to peel a fruit or vegetable, it’s often beneficial to wash it first so dirt and disease-causing germs aren’t transferred from the outside to the inside.
Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.
For pre-packaged produce, read the label – if it says pre-washed and ready-to-eat, you can use it without further washing.

Prevent Cross Contamination

Always wash hands before and after preparing food!
Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops with soap and hot water between the preparation of raw meat, poultry, and seafood and the preparation of produce that won’t be cooked.
When using plastic or non-porous cutting boards, wash them in the dishwasher after use.

Prepare Safely

Cut away damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating.
Discard produce if it looks rotten.

Store Properly

Keep perishable fresh-cut produce in a clean refrigerator at 40° F or below.
Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood separately from produce in the refrigerator.
Always refrigerate produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled.

Check Your Juice

Young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems (such as transplant patients and individuals with HIV/AIDS, cancer, or diabetes) risk serious illnesses or even death from drinking juices that haven’t been pasteurized or otherwise treated to control disease-causing germs.
Look for pasteurized or otherwise treated products in your grocers’ refrigerated sections, frozen food cases, or in non-refrigerated containers, such as juice boxes, bottles, or cans.
Untreated juices sold in refrigerated cases of grocery or health food stores, cider mills, and farmers’ markets must contain a warning label indicating that the product has not been pasteurized. Warning labels are not required for juice or cider that is fresh-squeezed and sold by the glass. If you are unsure if a juice product is pasteurized – be sure to ask!

Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540 Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free)