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August 5, 2010

Food Safety at the Farmers Market

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), farmers markets are more plentiful than ever and Idaho has seen the third fastest rate of growth in the country. The USDA declares in the 2010 National Farmers Market Directory that there are now 6,132 operational farmers markets, representing 16 percent growth over 2009. Idaho now has 60 active farmers markets. The Farmers Market Directory results were released as part of National Farmers Market Week August 1-7, 2010.

Idahoans, like people across the country, have grown more interested in acquiring their foods locally. Public health is generally supportive of this trend because such markets provide a variety of fresh products that families can use to build nutrient-rich, wholesome meals. While Idaho’s seven health districts inspect the markets to see that the food is sold in safe and sanitary conditions, consumers should still follow some basic guidelines to ensure their own safety and avoid foodborne illness.

Produce

• Before and after preparing fresh produce, wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
• Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking. We don’t recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes.
• Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first. Any bacteria present on the outside of items like melons can be transferred to the inside when you cut or peel them.
• Be sure to refrigerate cut or peeled fruits and vegetables within two hours after preparation.

Juices and Cider

Check to see whether the juice or cider has been treated (pasteurized) to kill harmful bacteria. Pregnant women, children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems should drink only pasteurized or treated juice.

Serious outbreaks of foodborne illness have been traced to drinking fruit and vegetable juice and cider that were not treated to kill harmful bacteria.

When purchasing juice, take these two simple steps to protect you and your family:

• Always read the label to make sure that juice has been pasteurized or treated.
• When in doubt, ask! Always ask if you're unsure whether a juice product has been treated, especially for juices sold in refrigerated cases of grocery or health food stores, cider mills, or farmers markets. Also, don't hesitate to ask if the labeling is unclear or if the juice or cider is sold by the glass.

How About Fresh-Squeezed Juice?

When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed, bacteria from the produce can end up in your juice or cider. Unless the produce or the juice has been treated to destroy any harmful bacteria, the juice could be contaminated.

Milk and Cheeses

• Don’t buy milk at a farmers market unless you can confirm that it has been pasteurized. Raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, that can pose serious health risks to you and your family.
• Pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for illness caused by Listeria. One source for this bacteria is soft cheese made from unpasteurized milk. If you buy soft cheese (including feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined cheeses, queso blanco, queso fresco, and panela), check the label to make sure that it's made from pasteurized or treated milk.

Milk and Cheeses

Pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria by heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time. Some people continue to believe that pasteurization harms milk and that raw milk is a safe healthier alternative.

Here are some common myths and proven facts about milk and pasteurization:

• Raw milk DOES NOT kill dangerous pathogens by itself.
• Pasteurizing milk DOES NOT cause lactose intolerance and allergic reactions. Both raw milk and pasteurized milk can cause allergic reactions in people sensitive to milk proteins. Pasteurization DOES NOT reduce milk's nutritional value.
• Pasteurization DOES NOT mean that it is safe to leave milk out of the refrigerator for an extended amount of time, particularly after it has been opened.
• Pasteurization DOES kill harmful bacteria.
• Pasteurization DOES save lives.

Eggs

• Make sure that eggs are properly chilled at the market. The FDA requires that untreated shell eggs must be stored and displayed at 45°F.
• Before buying eggs, open the carton and make sure that the eggs are clean and the shells are not cracked.

Meat

• Central District Health requires that all meats sold at farmers markets be frozen. This eliminates the problems of trying to maintain meats at temperatures of 41° F or less.
• Bring an insulated bag or cooler with you to the market to keep meat cold on the way home.
• Be sure to keep meat separate from your other purchases, so that the juices from the meat (which may contain harmful bacteria) do not come in contact with produce and other foods.

For more information on food safety visit the Central District Health Department website.