Poisonous Or Unhealthy Foods You Are Probably Eating

Unwashed Fruits Or Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables in a box. Photo Credit: Medibank @Maria

Consuming unwashed fruits or vegetables is an unhealthy and unsafe practice for anyone who consumes fresh produce. Fresh produce was the source of the most extensive foodborne illness outbreak of the United States within the last century. That outbreak occurred in the year 2011 due to listeria contamination. Many individuals feel their fresh produce does not need to be washed with water before using it cook or eating it. The reason is most likely related to the general perception that water does not sanitize anything by itself. Some individuals will neglect to wash their produce when they plan to cut or peel the skin off and discard it. This can cause illness because the knife cutting through the skin of the fruit or the fingers peeling it can spread pathogens from the produce skin to the inside of the fruit or vegetable.

Most individuals who neglect to wash their fresh produce habitually before cooking or consuming it do not think of several factors. The fields and orchards where the produce is grown are often watered from a local well source that has no type of regulation or testing standards. Contaminated water is transferred into the soil and onto the fresh produce during farming. Additionally, produce farmers are known to utilize one of the best known affordable fertilizers called manure. Manure is feces, and feces are a quick way to spread pathogens from one organism to another. Insects and parasites that feed on produce can leave behind contaminated material on the fruit as well. Simple but thorough washing of the fresh produce with water can help prevent these foodborne illnesses.

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