Why it’s important to wash fruit even if you peel it before eating

Chances are you have likely heard about the cantaloupe recall. Cantaloupe from Mexico, which has been sold both in Canada and the US, has recently been the source of salmonella poisoning. According to the website, Food Safety News, in Canada, as of November 24, the case count was 63 laboratory-confirmed patients, with 17 patients being so sick they required hospitalization. Cases in the US are significantly higher but there have been deaths in both countries- two in the US and one in Canada.

Cross- contamination in facilities where cantaloupe is processed together (cut up) with other fruits for items like fruit trays have led to a wider recall which includes cut up pineapple, watermelon and honeydew.

But the news of cantaloupe being linked to foodborne illness is nothing new. I first wrote about it back in 2012 following an outbreak of listeria linked to contaminated cantaloupes during which time more than 30 people died.

Cantaloupe, in particular, can harbor foodborne microbes. As it grows on the ground, it can be contaminated through water or soil and because of its textured rind, the microbes can remain on it. Cantaloupe has been linked to E coli, salmonella and listeria.

While it’s key to avoid eating recalled produce, don’t let the news scare you off this nutrition packed fruit in the future. The key is how you handle cantaloupe, from where you buy it until you eat it.
Here are some tips for smart fruit handling:

• When you choose a cantaloupe at the store, either put it in a plastic produce bag or in a separate bag rather than just in your shopping cart. By doing this, you will not contaminate your other groceries.

• Avoid purchasing any cantaloupes that have puncture marks or dents in them. This can allow for the contaminants to go from the rind into the fruit.

• When you arrive at home, put the cantaloupe right into your sink and then scrub it well with a little dish soap. While you may think that since you are not eating the rind, this is an unnecessary step, think again. Then don’t forget to disinfect your sink.

When you cut the melon, you are cutting through the potentially contaminated rind into the fruit and carry the microbes on the knife to the fruit. That is how the fruit can contain the microbes.

• Consider washing all fruits that have rinds or peels that you do not eat.

For example, after buying a watermelon, have you ever stored it in the trunk or on the floor in your car? Do you then wash it? Because I have put watermelon in my trunk, without a bag because the melon is too big, I also immediately put watermelon into my sink to wash. Even if you’re not putting the watermelon in a less than sanitary place, how often have you tapped a watermelon to check for its ripeness? So how many others have done that to the melon that you bought before you chose it?

But for other fruits, such as citrus fruits, like lemons or limes, I always wash them before giving them a squeeze. Again, you’re cutting through the rind and while there have been no reported outbreaks from these fruits, how many people have handled them before you cut them? The same goes for fruits like mango which when you peel them, the knife goes through to the flesh of the fruit.

If you’re not in the habit of washing your fruit, it might seem like a big job but once you get into the habit, you won’t even notice the extra time you have to spend. But to avoid foodborne illness, that effort is certainly worthwhile.