Facts To Avoid Contracting Salmonella

The recent cases of salmonella poisoning were most likely caused by the Salmonella typhimurium bacteria, which is sometimes found in produce. Symptoms of the illness can include fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infecting organism can get into the bloodstream and produce more severe illnesses. Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and others with weakened immune systems.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that the recent outbreak peaked in September and appears to no longer be ongoing. The contaminated food products that caused the illnesses have most likely been consumed, destroyed or thrown out because they are perishable.

The FDA and CDC are working closely with state and local health departments to identify the most likely food item(s) that caused the outbreak. A variety of scientific and technological methods are used to trace the source of the illness. Modem technologies, such as PulseNet (the network of public health laboratories that performs “DNA fingerprinting”), have greatly improved the speed and precision of these investigations.

To reduce the risk of getting foodborne illnesses, including Salmonella, from fresh produce, MSSNY advises consumers to take the following FDA-recommended precautions.
How to Purchase Fresh Produce

* Purchase produce that is not bruised or damaged.

* When selecting fresh cut produce - such as a half a watermelon or bagged mixed salad greens - choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice.

* At the market, bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products.
How to Store Fresh Produce

* Certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables - such as strawberries, lettuce, herbs and mushrooms - can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below.

* All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated within two hours to maintain both quality and safety.

* Keep your refrigerator set at 40° F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check!

How to Prepare Fresh Produce
* If packaging on bagged produce states that it has been pre-washed. It can be used without further washing.

* As a precaution, you can wash the produce again just before use. Precut or prewashed produce in open bags should be washed before using.

* Begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce.

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

* All unpackaged fruits and vegetables, as well as those packaged and not marked pre-washed, should be thoroughly washed before eating. This includes produce grown conventionally or organically at home, or produce that is purchased from a grocery store or farmer’s market. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking.

* Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, wash it first.

* Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended.

* Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush.

* Drying produce with a clean cloth towel or paper towel may further remove bacteria that may be present.
How to Avoid Contamination from and Contaminating Other Sources

* Keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from other foods such as raw meat, poultry or seafood - and from kitchen utensils used for those products.

* Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with hot water and soap between the preparation of raw meat, poultry and seafood products and the preparation of produce that will not be cooked.

* For added protection, use kitchen sanitizers on cutting boards and counter tops periodically. Try a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach to one quart of water.

* Wash plastic or other non-porous cutting boards through the dishwasher after use.
This information is provided by the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY). For more health-related information and referrals to physicians in your community, log on to MSSNY’s website at www.mssny.org or contact your local county medical society.