Produce Safety

Here are some ways to keep your produce safe and fresh:

• Select and purchase only fresh produce.
  Examine the produce to make sure it is fresh with no spoilage evident.
• Keep fresh produce separate from raw meat in your shopping cart, in bags at checkout and in your refrigerator.
• Wash your hands with hot water and soap before handling any produce before meal preparation.
• Wash your fresh produce thoroughly before each use. This is very important in controlling illness.
• Remove and discard bruised or damaged portions when preparing to cook them or before eating them raw.
• Discard produce that has touched raw meat, poultry, seafood or their juices.
• Clean cutting board, knives and peelers, and all other surfaces and utensils that will touch produce before and after preparing food. Clean with hot water and soap.
• Do not use the same cutting board for produce and for meat and poultry without cleaning it thoroughly with hot water and soap before and after food preparation.