Best ways to prevent getting sick from fruits, vegetables

More than twenty people were hospitalized from a salmonella outbreak linked to raw tomatoes. The incident serves as a reminder to take extra care with summer fruits and vegetables. Washing produce and properly cooking meat, poultry and eggs are generally the best methods to prevent illness.

Salmonella can be transmitted to humans when fecal material from animals or humans contaminates food. Symptoms are similar to the flu, but the poisoning can be fatal to young children, pregnant women and other people with weakened immune systems.

While there is no way for consumers to detect salmonella (you can't smell, taste or see it), there are some things you can do reduce the risk:

Wash all produce, whether organic or not, with cold running water. Scrub them gently with your hands or with a vegetable brush. Remove outer layers of cabbage and lettuce. Fruits should be washed, regardless of whether you are eating the peel, says Al Baroudi, president of Food Safety Institute (FSI) International. He says even if someone is peeling an orange, that person is touching part of the orange he is going to eat. Bananas are an exception. Don't bother with a special vegetable wash, studies show that it's not much better than water.

Wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly before handling food. Wash your hands if you come in contact with any contaminants, use the bathroom or smoke or eat.

Also wash cutting boards, counters and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. Avoid any kind of contact with raw meat when preparing fresh vegetables. Refrigerate sliced up fruits and vegetables.

Courtesy of CNN.com