Good habits for food safety

Make food safety a habit with the food you choose and how you store and process it. Also, keep up with news on food and product recalls.

• If you grow produce, follow safe practices. If you grow fruits and vegetables, don't use pesticides or use them as rarely as possible.
• Focus on variety. Having a diverse plate helps fuel the body. It could help limit the amount of contact with specific pesticides too.
• Buy fruits and vegetables that look fresh, without damage. If you notice a bruise or damage, trim it off before you wash the food. Toss anything that has mold on it or looks like it's gone bad.
• Keep fruits and vegetables at the right temperature. That means things like strawberries or lettuce should be kept in the refrigerator, along with anything precut or sold ready to eat.
• Don't wash your food unless you're ready to prepare it. And when you are ready, start your food prep by washing your hands.

Use cold, flowing water and the action of your hand or a clean vegetable brush to wash produce. This helps remove some germs such as bacteria and some residue from natural or synthetic pesticides.

Even if fruits or vegetables have a rind, such as with watermelon or squash, wash them before you cut or peel them.

Use a clean vegetable brush instead of peeling fruit or vegetables such as apples or carrots. But throw away the leaves on the outside of leafy vegetables, such as lettuce or Brussels sprouts.

Vinegar or baking soda can be used to clean fruits and vegetables, but these products can change the taste of food.

Don't wash fruits or vegetables with other cleaning solutions, such as soap. Some washes might leave a residue, and some fruit could absorb the chemicals and make you sick.