Ten tips for cleaning fruits and vegetables (and avoiding poisoning)

Millions of people they are poisoned each year by eating food contaminated with microbes. According to data from the FDA, the Food and Drug Administration of the United States, 48 ​​million are affected annually in this country.

"Although many people know that animal products must be handled carefully to avoid spoilage, many do not know it fruits and vegetables can also cause foodborne illnesses"Warns the agency, which gives a series of guidelines for cleaning fruits and vegetables.

10 tips & for cleaning fruits and vegetables

1. Must select products that have not been hit or damaged and make sure pre-cut products, such as lettuce bags or watermelon slices, are cooled or stored with ice in the store and at home.

2 Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after the preparation of fresh food.

3 Discard any damaged or damaged part before preparing and eating.

4 Gently cuts food while rinsing with a stream of water.

5 Wash the fresh products before peeling so that dirt and bacteria are not transported from the knife to fruit or vegetables.

6. Use a brush for cleaning hard fruits and vegetables such as melons or cucumbers.

7 Dried fruits and vegetables with a cloth or paper towel to reduce the bacteria that still exist.

8 Discard the outer sheets and that they have been damaged by leafy vegetables.

9 Store fresh products inside the refrigerator at 4 degrees or less.

10. As food cooking eliminates harmful bacteria, raw fruits and vegetables are the ones most at risk of infection. Poisoning from food can be avoided avoiding raw foods that raise doubts or do not appear to be in good condition or well preserved.

Toxoplasmosis or diseases originating from the E-coli bacteria are some of those that can be contracted by contaminating microbes in food

In an interview with the Europa Press (Info Salus), Alba Santaliestra, chairman of the Aragon Nutrition and Nutrition College of Aragón and a member of the General Council of Nutrition and Nutrition Associations, reminded that basically the diseases caused by microbial contamination. Food is: toxoplasmosis (parasitic disease in which people at risk, such as children, the elderly and pregnant women) should receive special attention and diseases originating from the E-coli bacteria (which are always related to stool content, which usually cause gastrointestinal symptoms or fever and affect almost the entire population).