By Donna V. Scaglione
E. coli outbreaks in Europe. Salmonella scares in the United States. There is no lack of news these days regarding foodborne illnesses that kill and sicken millions. What’s a health-conscious consumer to do to avoid being among the one in six people who gets sick each year in the United States from eating contaminated food? Wash your hands. Wash your produce. And skip the raw bean sprouts. Here are more ways to ward off food poisoning and stay healthy.
1. Wash produce
Harmful bacteria can lurk in the water or soil used to grow fruits and vegetables, or produce may be contaminated during handling and storage. So it’s important to wash produce under running water just prior to eating, cutting, or cooking. But do it with clean hands — wash them for 20 seconds with soap and warm water before handling that lettuce, the Food and Drug Administration advises. If you plan to peel produce, washing it first is still advised.
However, it’s not enough to simply wash raw bean sprouts before eating them. They are grown in humid conditions that are ideal for growth of bacteria, including dangerous salmonella, listeria, and E.coli, so cook them thoroughly before consuming them to reduce contamination risk.
