Across the pond, cantaloupes, pine nuts, romaine lettuce and sprouts caused serious outbreaks of illness in 2011, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the US. In fact, five of the most significant or unusual outbreaks of foodborne illness involved fresh produce. The CDC said that 2011 was the most active year in recent history for ‘foodborne illness outbreaks that crossed state lines’.
Over here the picture is slightly different. The most recent figures we have are for 1992-2010. Although the figures aren't directly comparable, according to the Health Protection Agency, poultry meat was the most frequently implicated vehicle in food outbreaks in England and Wales during this period; a much smaller proportion was associated with fresh produce and a range of other foods.
While produce may not be top of the list when we think of ‘danger’ foods, this doesn’t mean we can lower our guard.
Last year’s E.coli outbreak in Germany was due to sprouted fenugreek seeds, and there was a separate E.coli outbreak here in the UK linked to handling certain loose raw vegetables. The range of culprits that caused outbreaks in the US – 30 people died as a result of listeria-contaminated cantaloupes – shows how foods you might not suspect can be the source of serious illness.
To raise awareness of the importance of good food hygiene, we ran a media campaign in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland reminding everyone to wash vegetables, as well as their hands and any utensils used in preparation.
The campaign recently finished, but our message stays the same: ‘Vegetables: best served washed.’