The Top Food Safety Mistake You’re Making With Produce

For some, the act of chopping, peeling and coring vegetables for half an hour after a long day can be meditative. For the rest of us, however, it’s a total drag — and truly, nothing makes us crave takeout like the thought of prepping mirepoix vegetables on a work night. Our solution? Do it ahead of time.

As any cook or recipe developer will tell you, tackling all (or most) of your produce prep in advance is one of the best ways to streamline the cooking process, so you can make a fresh, flavorful meal — or enjoy an easy, healthy snack — on the fly.

There is, however, one small catch when it comes to pre-peeling or chopping your fresh fruit and vegetables: The moment you cut into them, they become much more vulnerable to nutrient loss, oxidation and harmful pathogens — and this only worsens if your produce sits out on the counter.

So the next time you think about chopping up that beautiful lettuce for your salad be sure to avoid these food safety mistakes. Instead, learn how to properly store your prepped fruit and vegetables so they stay flavorful, fresh and ready to incorporate into your cooking.

We’re huge fans of leaving the skin on fresh produce like carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes. Not only is it a rich source of fiber and antioxidants, but the skin can also add extra flavor and texture to meals. Of course, that skin plays another vital role — it protects what’s inside. “Once fruits and vegetables are cut, peeled or processed, their protective outer layers are compromised,” says food safety expert Dr. Darin Detwiler. This leaves them vulnerable to pathogens like salmonella, listeria, and E. coli. Produce like apples and avocados will also quickly begin to oxidize, which — while harmless — is still less than appetizing.

Before you even pick up a knife or peeler, make sure to give your produce a thorough scrub. Otherwise, you may contaminate your fruits and vegetables before they even get to the fridge. “Bacteria on the outer surface can transfer inside during cutting,” says Dr. Detwiler. Waiting until after the produce is cut or peeled to wash it can be worse than not washing it all, as “water can actually spread bacteria inward” once the skin is broken, he explains.

To wash your produce, rinse under cold running water, using a designated brush to remove dirt or wax. Never use soap or bleach! Fruits and vegetables are porous, meaning they’ll absorb anything you put on them, even after rinsing. If your produce is especially dirty, or you’re worried about pesticides, you can also try a cold-water soak by adding 1 tsp of baking soda to every 2 cups of water (use enough water to fully submerge your produce), then soaking for 12 to 15 minutes. However you choose to wash your produce, make sure to dry it thoroughly before storing — and remember that all produce spoils faster after it’s been washed, so it’s best to wash it right before you’re ready to use it.

Full Circle The Ring Bamboo Vegetable Brush

This veggie brush makes it easy to wipe debris from items like potatoes and carrots. Be sure to dry the scrubber fully between uses.

When you finally get to chopping, make sure your work station is thoroughly clean and sanitized. Good Housekeeping Recipe Editor Susan Choung recommends using a different cutting board for produce than the one you use for raw meat or seafood, which is important for preventing cross-contamination (especially if you’re planning on serving produce raw). Alternatively, you can wash your cutting board with hot water and soap before using it to cut fruits and vegetables.

Once you’ve done the hard work of selecting, cleaning, and prepping your fresh farmers’ market finds, it’s time to pop it straight in the produce drawer…right? Well, not exactly. While Dr. Detwiler recommends promptly refrigerating most produce after peeling or cutting — making sure the temperature stays at 40°F or below — not all fruits and vegetables get stored the same way, nor do they have the same shelf life. Cantaloupes, for example, are at higher risk for contamination than other fruits, says Dr. Detwiler. And as such, they should be eaten immediately once cut. Cut fruits and vegetables should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours — or one hour if the room is hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit, he says. Clearly labeling and dating containers is another way to ensure that fruits and vegetables get used up.

Below, you can find Dr. Detwiler’s recommendations for storing common fruits and vegetables after prepping, as well as an estimation of their typical shelf life.

Fruits

• Apples: 3–5 days; use lemon juice to prevent browning
• Bananas: 1-2 days once peeled, though best eaten fresh; may be frozen
• Berries (e.g. strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries) 1–3 days; should be stored loosely covered and unwashed until ready to eat
• Citrus fruits: 3–4 days when sealed
• Melons (e.g. watermelon): 3–4 days; should be refrigerated immediately.
• Cantaloupe: should be consumed immediately
• Mangoes, papayas, and pineapples: 3–5 days; should be sealed in airtight containers
• Avocados: 1–2 days if covered tightly with the pit left in place

Vegetables

• Leafy greens (e.g. lettuce and spinach): 3–5 days when dried and stored with a paper towel
• Carrots: 1–2 weeks when submerged in water (which should be changed every 2–3 days)
• Bell peppers: 3–5 days in a resealable bag or airtight container
• Cucumbers: 1–3 days when wrapped in paper towels
• Tomatoes: 2–3 days if stored cut-side down
• Onions: 7–10 days when tightly wrapped
• Garlic (peeled): one week in a sealed container
• Mushrooms: 1–2 days; should be kept in a paper or ventilated container
• Broccoli and cauliflower: 3–5 days in sealed bags
• Celery: 1–2 weeks when wrapped in foil or submerged in water (with regular water changes)

No matter how hard you try, you’ll inevitably encounter a moldy or rotten piece of produce; it’s simply a fact of life. The important thing is to quickly identify and toss the offending fruit or vegetable. “If produce looks slimy, smells sour, or shows signs of mold, throw it out.”

Finally, if you don’t think you’ll be able to use up fresh produce right away, try freezing it: Frozen berries, bananas, and leafy greens are great for adding to smoothies and soups and are often cheaper than the store-bought versions. Note it’s better to freeze produce closer to the date you bought it from the store. If you waited a few days, instead, try cooking to extend its shelf life — throw it into a stir-fry, fold into a frittata or make a jam.