As we gradually approach Spring, we notice more and more of our favorite fruits and melons coming into season. Living in California, however, many of them are available year round . . . at a price! Believe it or not, there are some safety concerns that you might not take into consideration.
I use to have a friend that made fun of me because we thoroughly washed our watermelon with dish soap and water before taking that first cut. She said that if the knife was clean, what was the problem. If the rind is dirty, the knife slices right through, spreading any possible germs across the edible portion. Melons grow in dirt, people with unwashed hands handle the melons, the melons are touched by prospective buyers . . . My husband and I got a massive stomach upset, one summer, after eating watermelon. It was years before we could even look at one so, yes, now we wash our melons and don't care who laughs!
Bagged salad greens can cause a problem, too. They do claim the lettuce or whatever is washed three times, but . . . A great investment is an expensive salad spinner. You put in your greens, spash them with vinegar, rinse, and spin. We also add a peroxide rinse just to make sure. The only thing we want to survive on our salad is the salad dressing!
We take precautions because we like to eat healthy and it is frustrating to get sick from eating food that is supposed to be good for you!
