If you take medication, whether it’s for diabetes, HIV or cancer, then there are extra steps you should take when it comes to prepping your food. The warning comes after cautionary advice from FoodSafety.gov that reveal that although you think you may be prepping your food right, you might be misisng out on the first step which is vital to your health. Consequently, experts note that “people who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness (weakened immune system)” must wash their fruit and veg – even if it has the peel on.
Yes, that includes oranges, bananas and more. In their example, they say “people with diabetes, liver or kidney disease, HIV, or cancer” are all at risk of developing a severe illness if they don’t prep in the right way.
In fact, that sore stomach you had once could have been a foodborne illness as these can often be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms. The food experts note that whilst of course anyone can get sick, some people are more at risk than others, meaning they’re more likely to have serious side effects and need to get help from a doctor.
What groups have a higher chance of food poisoning?
- Adults aged 65 and older
- Children younger than age 5
- People who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness (weakened immune system) – for example, people with diabetes, liver or kidney disease, HIV, or cancer
- People who are pregnant
As a result, they caution that if you fall into one of these groups, or care for someone who does, “it’s especially important to take steps to prevent it when preparing fruits and vegetables.” Additionally, people who are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses should avoid consuming raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind, such as onion, alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts.
How to prep my food right
According to University of Nebreska-Lincon, you need to wash your fruit and veg even if you need to peel it and as mentioned, that includes the lines of oranges, even if you do not intend on eating the peel. It may seem like a waste of time if you’re not going to eat the peel, but the reason is simple – you don’t want to transfer dirt.
The academics explained: “Even if you plan to peel produce before eating or eat / scoop / cut it out of the peel (such as cantaloupe halves, watermelon balls, pineapple chunks), it is still important to wash it first so dirt and bacteria aren’t transferred from the knife onto the fruit or vegetable.”
Don’t forget to do this too
It’s also important to keep fruits and vegetables that will be eaten raw separate from raw meat, poultry, seafood as well as kitchen tools you use such as spoons, forks and knifes. To further ensure food safety, make sure to use separate cutting boards.
The FDA recommends starting with clean hands when preparing any fresh produce and just like Covid guidance, washing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds both before and after handling. They suggest: “Wash all produce thoroughly under running water before preparing and/or eating, including produce grown at home or bought from a grocery store or farmers’ market.
“Washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash is not recommended. Produce is porous.
“Soap and household detergents can be absorbed by fruits and vegetables, despite thorough rinsing, and can make you sick. Also, the safety of the residues of commercial produce washes is not known and their effectiveness has not been tested.”
Keep an eye out for these symptoms of foodborne illness
- Vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- fever
- headache
- body ache
