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Convenience may be outweighed by safety when it comes to pre-packaged produce.

Although experts disagree on which is better there is some good advice to help avoid contamination and food poisoning:

Bruhn is also a staunch advocate of irradiation, which she says can ensure food safety.
She encourages consumers to take steps to avoid compromising bagged lettuce. Buy only bags kept very cold in the grocery store and pay attention to sell-by dates. Once you’ve got it home, open the bag and dump it directly into a clean bowl.
“Don’t stick your own hands in there,” she said.
She also urges home cooks not to re-wash bagged greens because of the possibility of cross-contamination with other bacteria already in the kitchen.
If you want to use bulk lettuce, make sure to clean it correctly, Bruhn said. First, wash your hands and also the sink with hot soapy water.
Then, break off each lettuce leaf individually, rinse it under cold running water while rubbing gently. Dry in a salad spinner or with paper towels, not with cloth towels, which may transmit bacteria.

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The CDC has alerted the public to an outbreak of salmonella poisoning from mangoes which has sickened 103 people in the United States, mostly in California, including 22 people in Canada.

Salmonella poisoning can cause mild illness in otherwise healthy people 12 to 72 hours after infection.

Symptoms include fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramping.

In those individuals with a weakened immune system salmonella can cause severe illness requiring hospitalization.

Once a specific source is identified, CDC said public health officials will offer advice and take steps to prevent illness.
However, CDC officials did confirm that the genetic fingerprint of the salmonella strain was identical to that found in the recalled mangoes that made people sick in Canada, which were identified as Daniella brand mangoes imported from Mexico.
A U.S. importer of those mangoes, Splendid Products of Burlingame, Calif., has voluntarily recalled nationwide shipments of Daniella mangoes with PLUs #4959, 3114, 4051, 4311 or 4584. Several U.S. grocery stores have pulled the fruit from their shelves, the Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday. They were sold at retail locations across the U.S. from July 12 to Aug. 29.

Warm sunny skies, lazy weekends and friends and family around for celebrating good times could be a recipe for food poisoning as we prepare for summertime cookouts.

Meat on the grill, potato salads, seafood, dairy products and veggies are summer food staples that can become spoiled, cross-contaminated and rancid in the summer heat.

Safe handling, cleanliness, proper storage and proper temperature management are keys to safe celebrations.

48 million people in the U.S. will contract a foodborne illness this year and many of these cases will happen this summer.

Follow a few simple safe handling techniques to keep your family and friends safe and healthy.

Resist the urge to eat raw cookie dough.

While most concerns are over raw eggs in the mixture the real danger may lie in the flour.

Flour doesn’t go through the kind of special processing to kill off pathogens that ingredients like pasteurized eggs, molasses, sugar, baking soda, and margarine do.

When the researchers visited manufacturing plants where the cookie batter was being made their suspicions were confirmed: they found E coli in the samples they collected at the plants, according to the report which was published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The higher incidence of baking during the holiday season can increase the risk of contamination.

Use safe cooking, preparation and clean-up methods for healthy celebrations.

Keeping your refrigerator clean is more than just a good idea.

It could save your health.

Clean your refrigerator as a matter of disease prevention and sanitary food preparation practice.

It’s amazing how many illnesses and bacteria can grow in your refrigerator.

A few simple tips can safeguard your health and help you manage your food inventory and reduce waste.

Wrap foods tightly with two layers of freezer wrap before putting in the freezer or use shrink
wrapping for an air-tight seal around the food.

Store eggs in their cartons — and don’t keep them on the refrigerator door.

Don’t wash fresh produce until you’re ready to use it. Store it in perforated plastic bags, and use
within a few days. Bananas should not be refrigerated.

To allow for air circulation in either your fridge or freezer, don’t overfill the compartments.

Without good circulation, it’s difficult to maintain the proper temperatures.

Store leftovers in tightly covered containers within two hours after cooking. Use in 3-5 days.

Store food and cleaning supplies separate.

Keep potatoes and onions in a cool, dry location. Don’t refrigerate them or keep them under the sink, where moisture from pipes can cause damage.

Check use-by or sell-by dates on food packages. Remember, these dates don’t apply once the package is opened.

Best-if-used-by dates are the most reliable ones to follow. They take normal handling into account.

Put raw meat on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, in a plastic bag. This will keep the juices from dripping onto other foods.