Dos and don’ts for cleaning all kinds of food

Clean food starts with a clean you. The most important thing you can do to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of illness is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. And traveling is no excuse for letting up on cleanliness: Pack disposable wipes whenever you need them.

• You don't need anything special. Washing with plain water will do. Just make sure you don't skip any fruit and vegetables — even the organic ones. They all need to be washed. While organic items may not have residual chemicals on them, they can have the same amount of dirt, dust and mould spores.
• For fruit and vegetables with a firm surface that doesn't require peeling, such as potatoes, celery and apples, just use a vegetable brush to scrub the skin clean under running water.
• For leafy vegetables and fruit with a soft skin, such as peaches, strawberries and raspberries, rinse under running water only.
• It's not necessary to wash mushrooms; simply wipe them with a damp paper towel. If you prefer washing, use running water.
• To dry vegetables and fruit, use a clean dish towel or paper towel. A lettuce spinner works well for most greens. Vegetables that are going to be cooked don't need to be dried first.
• Cut away any bruised or damaged areas from fruit and vegetables with a sharp knife. Immediately refrigerate any freshly cut fruit or vegetables.
• Rinse fish quickly in cold water to remove ice, slime and any loose small scales you can't see.

• Don't use a brush on soft-skinned vegetables or fruit. You'll only damage them by breaking the skin open.
• Don't use detergents or soap on fresh foods. The produce could absorb the residues, which you could ingest.
• Don't wash raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before using. You may think you're helping to make the meat safer, but you're not. Cooking destroys surface bacteria at 71°C (160°F).
• Don’t place raw meat, fish or poultry directly on countertops or refrigerator shelves. Keep them in containers. Never let the juices of raw meat drip onto other foods, and never use the same utensils on cooked foods that you have used for handling raw meat.
• Don't wash eggs before storing or using them. They have already been washed during commercial egg processing. You'll just remove more of the 'bloom' — the natural coating on just-laid eggs that helps prevent bacteria from permeating the shell.

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