Keep foodborne illnesses out of your home

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I’m sure everyone’s familiar with the legendary 5 second rule. Or actually, the 30 second rule according to a study conducted by seniors of Connecticut College last year. This rule is based on the amount of time it takes for bacteria to attach to food that has been dropped on the floor. If you are a parent, you probably practice this rule more times than you want to mention. Though the time it takes for bacteria to attach itself to food varies, it does happen. What I love about this rule is that it makes you think before you eat.

Just recently, the FDA warned consumers of the risk for salmonella from cantaloupes that came from a Honduran grower. According to the CDC, the United States is one of the safest in the world for preventing food borne illness, but many of our fruits and vegetables come from other countries. When you hear the word salmonella, you may think of raw meat, poultry or dairy products. But the fact is fruits and vegetables can also carry bacteria. If you’ve ever had food poisoning, it is not fun. Some symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever and vomiting. Most people recover from food poisoning in about a week. But salmonella and other food borne illness in babies, children, pregnant women and seniors, can be life–threatening.

Because of recent recalls, like the cantaloupe, the question becomes “Too Eat or not Too Eat”. Well, you’ll never hear me say not to eat your fruits and vegetables, but there are things you can do to protect your family from these potentially fatal food borne illnesses.

Just because the fruit or vegetable has a thick skin that you may not eat, like cantaloupe or watermelon, scrub it anyway. I know…you never had to do this before. Here’s what I do. When I bring home a watermelon, cantaloupe or a whole pineapple like I did last Saturday from the farmers’ market, it goes into the sink for a bath. I wash it well with water before it touches anything else and let it air dry. Here’s why. If bacteria are on the outside of the cantaloupe or pineapple and you cut it open with a knife, what happens? You’re right. The bacteria has spread via the knife from the outside of the fruit to the inside…the part that you and your family are about to eat. Make washing your produce a regular habit, just like brushing your teeth. Wash it first, then cut it and eat or put it in the refrigerator. Because berries are so delicate, wash them gently right before you eat them and dry on paper towel or a clean towel that you don’t mind stains getting on. You don’t want them to be mushy.

Teach these habits to your children or grandchildren as they are old enough to help in the kitchen. Encourage them to wash their fruit, just like you would teach them to wash their hands before dinner.