Produce Handling

Handling

Private homes are ranked 3rd among the sites where foodborne illnesses occur. Foods consumed without cooking can be vehicles for foodborne pathogens if they are not handled properly. Your role in protecting such foods from contamination starts right when you receive that food. 

Fresh produce consumed at home may be purchased from different sources such as farm stands, farmers markets, CSAs, grocery stores among others, or may be grown at your home. If you grow fresh produce for your home consumption, your role in protecting fresh produce starts as early as when you select a site for your fresh produce garden, and continues all through the growing season, harvesting, storage, and handling just before consumption. You can take a free short course to introduce you to protecting fresh produce from contamination on the farm. Email nabwiire@illinois.edu about enrollment in the course.

If you want to get started with growing your own food, sign up for our Master Urban Farmer Training Program to learn more.

During shopping and once you get home, practice the “chill”, “separate”, and “clean” principles of food safety while handling produce.

Shopping

Buy whole (uncut) and undamaged fresh produce displayed at room temperature or colder, or precut produce displayed under refrigeration or freezer temperatures.

Separate fresh produce from raw meats and from foods that require cooking before consumption. Use more bags to act as a barrier and prevent cross-contamination.

If you take longer than one hour to return home from your shopping trip, an insulated bag can help to maintain the cool temperatures and quality of fresh produce for a while.

Washing Fresh Produce

  • Wash your hands properly with soap and water for 20 seconds before washing produce.
  • Remove outer leaves as necessary before washing.
  • Wash/rinse whole (uncut) produce with clean portable running water just before eating, cutting, or preparing.
  • Produce with a thick out skin can be scrubbed with a produce brush.
  • Do not use soap or detergents to wash produce.
  • Rinse the produce more than once or until the water is clear.
  • Do not let produce sit in water for too long as microorganisms can infiltrate into plant tissues where they can be hard to remove.
  • Remove excess water from washed vegetables using a salad spinner or paper towel.
  • If the produce is labeled triple washed or ready to eat, you may not wash it again before consumption. 

Storing Fresh Produce

  • Store prepackaged and precut fresh produce in either the refrigerator or freezer temperatures (not more than 41 F).
  • Cover stored produce and place it above any raw meats, poultry, seafood, or foods that require cooking before consumption.
  • In the refrigerator, fresh produce can be stored in the high-humidity closed cabinets designed to keep them crisper for longer. \

Preparing Fresh Produce

  • Wash hands with clean running water and soap before handling fresh produce.
  • Use clean utensils (knives, chopping board, plates, silverware) to cut and serve fresh produce.
  • If preparing a meal that will include fresh produce and meat, take precautions to prevent cross-contamination.  
    • You can handle one food item at a time,
    • Wash hands and food contact surfaces between food items, use different utensils for each preparation task, or wash and sanitize utensils between uses.
    • If you use gloves, make sure to change gloves and wash hands before and after each food preparation task.