With the rise of food-borne illnesses in the US, it is becoming increasingly important to understand the common sources of food-borne bacteria that can make their way into our homes. Many food items travel an average of 1,500 miles from the time of harvest till it makes it to your plate. One of the most common sources of food-borne bacteria are those present in everyday groceries and produce that we buy.
The practices involved in groceries reaching supermarkets can potentially have
serious consequences for the health of the general public.
Handling
One of the most common problems related to the transportation of groceries from farms to supermarkets is the improper handling and storage of food items. This could happen at any stage, from harvesting the food commodities to managing them at the supermarket. To prevent cross-contamination, it is important to keep raw meats, poultry, and seafood separated from other ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables. Even customers trying to pick out perfectly ripe tomatoes or cabbages of the right color can often touch several vegetables in the process without thoroughly cleaning their hands first. Handling produce without any proper sanitization regulations can lead to the spread of bacteria and contamination, which can cause food-borne illnesses.
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Since most commodities are transported to supermarkets as a batch, it is seldom in the hands of a customer to ensure that food items and groceries are loaded onto the vehicles in a way that prevents them from coming into contact with non-food items. The containers and packaging must also be properly cleaned without any reuse as it could potentially lead to contamination of the food items.
Transportation
Any fruit or vegetable spends a majority of its lifetime either being transported from one place to another, or being stored in warehouses. It is therefore extremely important for the vehicles and storage areas to be regularly cleaned and sanitized properly to prevent the spread of any bacterial infections and diseases.
In conclusion, your produce is extremely likely to be contaminated and bacteria
ridden due to the several hands, storehouses, and vehicles it passes through before making it to your home. The One way to protect you and your family is by
thoroughly washing and cleaning all your food items before use. However, most RO and UV water purifiers fail to get rid of bacteria, while also wasting a lot of water. The best way to ensure the safety and hygiene of your household is through ozonation systems.
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