Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well with the Carrie Connection

Summertime means lots of fresh produce. We are tempted by beautiful displays in the grocery stores, at roadside markets and at farmers markets. And, since we've been told eating produce is healthy, we are glad to have this wide selection.

However, in recent years a number of outbreaks of food borne disease have been associated with produce. These have demonstrated the need to handle produce properly to assure safety.

To handle produce safely:

Wash all produce in cool running water before eating Even hard-shelled products, like melons and some squash, should be washed since the process of cutting can carry dirt and bacteria from the skin to the edible flesh.

If a product is especially dirty, removing the skin or outer layers of leaves is a good extra precaution. If there are moldy spots on the skin, cut these away, along with extra skin surrounding the moldy spot.

Once produce is cut for eating, making salads or fruit or vegetable plates, it should be refrigerated or kept on ice. Most micro-organisms that cause food spoilage and food borne illness grow best at room temperature.

Whole melons are best kept in the refrigerator. If they cannot be refrigerated whole, at least be certain they are refrigerated after cutting. If you purchase a slice of melon, be certain it is cold and has been kept cold since it was sliced.

A good idea for serving raw produce is to put crushed ice on a plate. Put a second plate containing the cut product on top of this ice plate. The produce will be chilled yet will not become wet from sitting in the icy bath.

Also, remember to provide toothpicks or tongs when serving cut produce. This will allow people to get the food off the serving plate without touching the remaining items.

SAFE STORAGE

OF LEFTOVERS

Leftovers, whether they have been brought home in a doggie bag or are the remains of a home cooked meal, should be handled with care. Otherwise, they can be the source of a food borne illness often referred to as the bug or stomach virus.

Whether hot or cold, all leftover foods, including carry out foods purchased to eat later, should be refrigerated or frozen within two hours. If left at room temperature for more than two hours, or if there is any doubt as to how long the food has been out, throw it away, It is better to be safe than sorry.

Cool hot foods as quickly as possible before refrigerating or freezing. If the food is steaming hot, you can fast cool it by putting the container into a bowl of ice for about fifteen minutes to cool it down. You will want to stir a few times during the cooling process.

Large amounts of a thick food, such as chili or stew should be divided into smaller containers before refrigerating or freezing. Meats should be divided into serving size packages before storing. All leftovers should be labeled with the name of the item and the date it was put into the refrigerator or freezer.

If a food cannot be eaten within three or four days, it should be frozen.

For more information on the safe storage of foods, contact the Nevada County Extension office at 532 West First South, or phone 887-2818.