Fresh produce provides many health benefits, and there has been increased interest in growing fresh produce in home gardens. However, data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and prevention shows that produce is responsible for 46% of foodborne illnesses and 23% of illness-related deaths. Produce can easily become contaminated during growing and harvesting, and once contaminated, removing pathogens from the produce is challenging. Produce structures, such as seeds on strawberries or stem bowls on tree fruit, provide bacteria protection and make it difficult to wash pathogens off of produce once it has become contaminated. Additionally, fresh produce does not undergo a “kill step,” such as cooking, to destroy pathogens contaminating the produce. As a home gardener, you can take steps to provide your family with safe and fresh produce.
The biggest culprit for produce contamination is contact with animal feces. This contact can occur through use of contaminated water or soil amendments, improper handwashing or animal intrusion into growing areas. Before handling produce, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for 20 seconds to remove harmful bacteria. If you wear gloves while handling or harvesting produce, make sure your gloves are clean. If they have come into contact with feces or other contaminants, you must remove the gloves and wash them in hot soapy water before reusing them.
Water used for irrigation or washing produce can often become contaminated with pathogens, especially if you are using water exposed to the environment. Water collected from surfaces into rain barrels can become contaminated by chemicals or feces. Other surface water, such as ponds, is likely to attract wildlife, such as birds, which are likely to defecate in the water. If you are using water that is exposed to the environment, it is best to apply the water directly to the roots of the crop by using a drip irrigation system so it does not come into contact with the harvestable portion of the crop. If you use overhead spraying to water your garden, be sure to use water from a potable water supply, such as tested ground water or public water sources, to reduce contamination ofyour produce.
Soil amendments can provide an additional risk to fresh produce, especially if the soil amendmentshave not been treated to kill pathogens. Compost piles are often attractants for wildlife, and this can pose additional risks. It is best tousecommercially-treated soil amendments to ensure that the amendments do not pose a risk. If you are using untreated soil amendments, including home compost piles, apply the soil amendments to the soil before the beginning of the growing season. This will reduce the risk to fresh produce and help ensure the soil amendments do not come into contact with the harvestable portion of your crop. Additionally, incorporating the soil amendments directly into the soil will help ensure the outcome of the amendments and provide additional safeguards. Be sure to keep soil amendments, including compost piles, stored away from your garden. Rain runoff and wind drift can inadvertently cause contamination of your produce.
Animals carry many human pathogens, and their presence in your garden increases the likelihood that your produce may become contaminated from feces. Although it is difficult to completely exclude animals from your garden, steps should be taken to limit animal access. Fencing your garden can help keep deer, cats and dogs out. If you also have backyard chickens, make sure they do not have access to your garden. Use of reflective tape, or animal decoys, may help keep birds away from your produce.
When harvesting produce, place picked produce into containers that have been thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water. Never harvest produce that has been in contact with feces. If you accidentally touch or harvest contaminated produce, be sure to throw the produce away and wash your hands well before returning to the garden.
Only use potable water to wash soil off of the fresh produce. Soaking warm produce in cold water can allow bacteria to infiltrate the produce. If you are soaking the produce, be sure to use water that is the same temperature as the produce to prevent infiltration.
For additional tips on keeping produce in your home gardens safe, please visit bit.ly/3QNLdai. We wish you a bountiful harvest with safe and healthy produce.
Smith is an assistant professor and statewide consumer food specialist for Washington State University. She can be reached at food.safety@wsu.edu. If you have a food safety question you would like to see in this column, send your question to us at food.safety@wsu.edu.
