Fruit and vegetables, in particular fresh cuts, should be kept in the refrigerator at less than 5 to maintain optimum freshness and ensure food safety.
Wash all fruit and vegetables with cool tap water immediately before eating. Do not use soap water or detergent as this can affect the taste.
Scrub raw fruit and vegetables with hard surfaces (such as oranges, potatoes and carrots) with a clean produce brush.
Cut away damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruit and vegetables, as bacteria can grow in these areas. Clean the knife when finished to avoid contaminating other food.
Use clean cutting boards and utensils when handling fresh fruit and vegetables to avoid cross contamination.
Store fruits in a refrigerator crisper drawer separate from the one in which you store vegetables. Fruits give off ethylene gas which can shorten the storage life of vegetables. Some vegetables give off odors that can be absorbed by fruits and affect their quality.
“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 fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting, or cooking
Fruits that you should pick or buy ripe and ready-to-eat include:
- Apples
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Pineapple
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
Some vegetables and fruit do not require refrigeration, such as:
- Bananas
- Garlic
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Pumpkins
The following vegetables and fruit can be kept at room temperature until ripe and then refrigerated:
- Apricots
- Avocados
- Kiwifruit
- Mangoes
- Melons
- Papaya
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums and tomatoes
|
|