When preparing produce, which steps are recommended?

When preparing produce, which steps are recommended?

• A. Right before use, trim bruised and inedible parts, discard outer leaves and wash in water
• B. Wash produce days before use
• C. Soak in bleach solution
• D. Do not wash produce

Answer: (A)

When preparing produce, the best practice is to remove damaged or inedible parts, discard outer leaves when they’re dirty or tough, and wash the produce with clean water right before you’ll use it. Trimming bruised or damaged tissue helps prevent rusty spots and off-flavors, and outer leaves on leafy greens are often the dirtiest and least fresh, so removing them reduces contamination risk. Washing just before use removes visible dirt and many surface microbes without leaving produce sitting wet, which can promote spoilage. It’s not appropriate to soak in a bleach solution or to wash days in advance, as chemical residues can be unsafe and moisture can promote decay. Not washing at all leaves dirt and bacteria on the surface, which isn’t acceptable for safe food handling.

When preparing produce, the best practice is to remove damaged or inedible parts, discard outer leaves when they’re dirty or tough, and wash the produce with clean water right before you’ll use it. Trimming bruised or damaged tissue helps prevent rusty spots and off-flavors, and outer leaves on leafy greens are often the dirtiest and least fresh, so removing them reduces contamination risk. Washing just before use removes visible dirt and many surface microbes without leaving produce sitting wet, which can promote spoilage. It’s not appropriate to soak in a bleach solution or to wash days in advance, as chemical residues can be unsafe and moisture can promote decay. Not washing at all leaves dirt and bacteria on the surface, which isn’t acceptable for safe food handling.