E. coli, listeria and salmonella are common outbreaks. But this season, the U.S. has seen the biggest outbreak of the parasite cyclospora in history.
“What we’ve really been seeing this summer is how produce can be impacted,” said Dr. Kathryn Turner, chief of the Bureau of Environmental Health and Communicable Disease of Public Health at the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. “Not all fruits and vegetables carry equal risk for being contaminated with potential bacteria or viruses, or in this case, with cyclosporiasis.”
Indeed lettuce, kale and leafy greens are not the easiest to clean; but clean them we must.
“Because they’ve got crinkles, and stuff can get in there,” said Turner.
And then there are berries – again, not easy to clean.
“They have very porous layers and they’re bumpy,” Turner added.
Turner visited with George Prentice to share best advice to combat foodborne illnesses, including the regular use of a baking soda rinse.
Find reporter George Prentice @georgepren
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