stlmomsworld.com - Kay Quinn

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Should You Wash Bananas?

As federal inspectors look for the tainted tomatoes that are being linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul, I'm preparing a health story on how safely handle produce that will air July 4 on Newschannel Five at 5 p.m.
I asked Michelle Preston, a registered dietitian with Christian Hospital, for the best ways to wash and prepare uncooked fruits and vegetables with the goal of keeping you and your family healthy and safe from germs.

And yes, it's true, even your bananas should be washed under running water before eating. That's Preston in the picture, washing a banana as photojournalist Jeff Wilson shot video for my story.
Preston says you shouldn't soak produce, wash it days before you use it, and you don't even need those special produce sprays of cleaners to get foods ready to eat.
"You just need a lot of elbow grease," recommends Preston. She says rubbing produce while holding it under running water is usually the best way to remove any germs or bacteria.
She says certain fruits, like melons, can be scrubbed with a brush.
And don't forget to wash your hands before and after washing produce!
Check out the food safety web site www.fightbac.org and be sure to watch Newschannel Five at 5 p.m. Friday!

Labels: produce, salmonella

¶ 2:10 PM

Comments:

That's an excellent topic. I'd never thought of washing the bananas we buy when so many bacteria, etc. could be on the skins then get on us and the other food we may be eating.

Personally,I like using a food wash spray when washing fruits and vegtables. It takes off that waxy residue on grapes. They taste better when I use it versus just water.

# posted by

Katharine : July 1, 2008 10:47 PM

Post a Comment

<< Home

Name: Kay Quinn

Location: St. Louis, MO

ABOUT ME

Health and medical issues make up one of the most exciting beats in the newsroom. Few other areas of news touch each and every one of us so closely and so often.

Whether you're a senior worried about paying for prescription drugs, a parent concerned about the health of a child or waging your own fight against cancer or heart disease, you can usually find health news that applies to you in my daily reports.

I always tell St. Louisans they are so fortunate when it comes to health care. Our city is home to two research hospitals.

Doctors and scientists at Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis University School of Medicine are involved in some of the most critical research underway in medicine today.

Work is bring done right at this moment, right in our area, that could lead to a vaccine for bird flu or better ways to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's disease.

I enjoy staying on top of those stories, as well as bringing you health and medical news you can use.

Along with the latest medical breakthroughs, you'll frequently find information on low-cost exercise programs right around the corner from where you live, or details on where to get this year's flu shot.

Many viewers want to know whether I have a medical background. I don't, but my mother was a nurse and I know her health background made a big impression on me as a child.

It's the lifelong curiosity and interest I have in health issues that serves me well in my work as health reporter.

Staying on top of what you need to know to stay fit and healthy is a job I love.