Enhancing The Safety of Locally Grown Produce: Keeping Food Safe in the Market

3. Proper food display

• Make sure vendors regularly clean and sanitize their display surfaces.
• Do not allow animals in the marketplace as they could contaminate the food.
• Keep food items and containers off the ground to prevent dirt, dust or splashing water from contaminating food.
• Cover or package foods like breads, cakes, cookies, etc. to prevent contamination.
• Separate high-risk foods like raw meat products from ready-to-eat foods like fresh produce.
• Proper storage temperatures will help maintain freshness and quality. Cooling produce will help to preserve quality and prevent growth of bacteria. Most fruits and vegetables can be stored at 41˚F. However, some produce may be susceptible to chilling injury. For a detailed list of storage conditions for specific whole fruits and vegetables, visit http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/pdf/FS%20100_2.PDF. Cut fruits and vegetables must be kept at 41˚F or colder to be safe. Keeping produce like shelled peas, greens, etc. on ice or at 41˚F or colder will help maintain quality and safety.
• Plastic containers or other non-porous materials are best for food display because they are easier to clean and sanitize and are less likely to transmit pathogens.
• If vendors prefer wooden trays, straw baskets or other display materials that are harder to clean and sanitize, then these should be lined with foil or paper towels that can be discarded or clean cloth dishtowels or fabrics that can be washed between uses to prevent possible spread of contamination from one batch to another.

Manager's responsibility: Talk to vendors about how to safely display products in the market. Instruct vendors on clean and sanitary practices for handling foods in the market.

4. Proper food sampling

In general, produce is considered a low risk food, but the risk of contamination is greatly increased when the food is processed. The term "processed" applies to foods that have undergone procedures to alter their original state like cooking, chopping, mixing, grinding, drying, smoking, packing, etc.

Food sampling procedures:

• Produce must be rinsed with water that is suitable for drinking.
• Scrubbing firm produce with a clean vegetable brush can remove dirt, insects, some pathogens and some pesticide residues that could contaminate the produce once it is cut.
• Use clean equipment.
• Any dish, countertop, utensil or item that comes in contact with food must be clean, free of dirt, and then sanitized. Sanitizing further reduces the levels of microorganisms that may remain after cleaning.
• Mixing 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach per gallon of water can make a good and inexpensive sanitizing solution that can be used in 3 ways:

1. It can be placed in spray bottles. Spray the solution onto surfaces and allow them to air-dry. If used in spray bottles, the solution must be made fresh daily to prevent a loss of strength due to evaporation of the chlorine.
2. It can be used as a soak. After washing and rinsing to remove soap, place items to be sanitized in the chlorine solution and allow them to sit for at least one minute. Allow items to air-dry.
3. It can be applied to surfaces using paper towels or clean cloth towels. Allow solution to air-dry or wait at least one minute and dry surface with clean paper towels.

• Minimize bare hand contact with ready-to-eat food.
• Vendors should use single service gloves when prepping and serving ready-to-eat foods.
• Design a safe sampling setup with single service items like toothpicks.
• Samples should be kept covered. This can provide protection from flies, dust and other possible air contaminants.
• Hold foods to be sampled at recommended temperatures to prevent microbial growth.
• Thoroughly cook hot samples to approved temperatures, and hold them above 135°F when serving.
• Cut produce samples should be held either at 41°F or colder, or on ice. Alternatively, they can be labeled with the time they were prepared and disposed of after two hours, or one hour if the surrounding temperature exceeds 90°F.

Manager's responsibility: Check to see that safe food handling procedures are being followed and that foods prepared for sampling are being kept safe.