Here's why it's so dangerous not to wash your products, study shows
A new survey reveals that small producers are not required to follow certain food security guidelines.
It is important to include fruits and vegetables in your diet every day, but there can be consequences if you do not wash them well. In fact, if you buy local (which is encouraged to support farmers), you can also be higher fromfoodborne disease, a new study says.
According to the study, which was led by the University of Houston Conrad H. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management and published in theFood Protection Journal,Very few small producers of products have training in food security. In fact, many of these small producersAre not required to follow federal food safety guidelines, the study reveals. (In touch:The 7 healthiest foods to eat right now.)
About 46% of all foodborne diseases in the United States are caused by contaminated products. The probability of fruits and vegetables containing a pathogen increases when high-risk practices are used by small producers.
For example, allowing livestock to wander freely; use gross manure or a combination of amendments for manure and soil; Do not properly clean agriculture tools; And do not instill the proper hand or toilet hand washing plants near the farm or the packaging area are all things that could produce products.
What has this study revealed exactly?
At a fruit and vegetable conference in Rosenberg, Texas, 70 small farmers were interviewed to assess their knowledge of food security protocols - and the results said. More than 51% of respondents said that their workers have used naked hands to harvest products,Although 39% do not provide hand wash facilities and 46% do not have on-site bathrooms.
"There are gaps defined in their knowledge of food security, it is therefore essential that we reached these small producers with robust education to raise awareness of the risks associated with these practices, as well as safer alternatives," Zahra Mohammad, Principal author of the study and after-doctorate, University of Houston, is cited as indicating byNews Sciences of Medical Life.
On the other hand, large large farms are required to follow the Food Modernization Act (FSMA), which defines food security protocols in place at each stage of production.
This does not mean that you should stop buying local farmers. In fact, Sujata Sirsat, Assistant Professor at Hilton College, saidMedical newsFour little food security produce epidemics are associated with farmers markets. Currently, it is difficult to know if it is a matter of less contamination on these markets - or if they are more difficult to trace.
Here's what you can do to stay safe.
If you buy local, be sure to rub the outside of your product with warm water and a brush to eliminate any excess dirt, pathogens or pesticide residues that could be hidden on the skin. In addition, boiling, roasting or salating vegetables can potentially kill certain bacteria, viruses and parasites. Nevertheless, it is not a guarantee.
"Stopping of food origin at the farm is the key, and that's why this study is important," Sirsat said. "If you have internalized pathogens in the product, it does not matter if you wash, rinse and disinfect once you get it at home. It can be too late."
For more advice, be sure to checkFDA has just published these 6 new food security advice.
