Produce Safety For Your Health

Fresh produce is an essential part of a healthy diet because it is an important source of vitamins, minerals, fibres, and antioxidants. Because most fruits and vegetables are grown in a natural environment, they can be exposed to a wide range of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. Most of these microorganisms do not represent a human health risk, but can cause spoilage. Since produce is usually eaten raw and there are a limited number of practices to effectively control or eliminate pathogens prior to consumption, fruits and vegetables can be a potential source of foodborne illnesses.

Harmful microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites can contaminate fruits and vegetables. Produce may become contaminated in a variety of ways including through the soil, irrigation water, equipment, humans and animals (animal wastes used as fertilizers), unsanitary processing methods and even sometimes by the final consumer.

Fresh fruits and vegetables have been occasionally linked to outbreaks of foodborne illnesses. Pathogens associated with these outbreaks include: Salmonella, Shigella, E. coli O157, hepatitis A, noroviruses, Cyclospora, and Cryptosporidium, although other microorganisms have been involved as well.

Everyone is at risk for foodborne illness, however young children, the elderly, chronically ill people, and those whose immune system is compromised are at high risk. The most common symptoms of a foodborne illness include fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea. In rare circumstances, infections can result in more severe illness and death.