Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog on July 29, 2026
We all aim to reduce food waste as much as possible especially with the rising costs associated with grocery shopping. Even with growing a lot of our own produce we find that storage is so important to get the most of out of our harvests. We treat the produce purchased at the store or farmer’s market the same way. Today we look at some produce storage mistakes to avoid and how to get the most bang for our buck, or the most from our growing season.
Most products come in plastic and while some is vented, getting our produce out of those packages asap is the best. Using cloth bags both to shop and to store your produce is a more sustainable option. Not only does it reduce the amount of plastic you buy, but it also prevents your fruits and veggies from spoiling early due to “sweating.” Just don’t forget to clean your reusable bags often. Leafy greens and herbs are best stored in muslin bags, whereas bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and eggplant would benefit from cotton or linen bags. Cotton dish towels will also do the trick, so there is no need to splurge on anything new.
If you’re tempted to rinse off your fresh produce as soon as it arrives at your house, it’s probably best to hold off. Keeping dirty produce in the fridge might seem gross, but having it rot after being washed too early or not dried properly has got to be worse. Bacteria and dirt are the main reasons for washing, so it’s understandable to want to keep them away from the refrigerator, but the dampness created by washing can cause bacteria to grow. Most fruits and vegetables have likely already been scrubbed for store display, so keeping them dry until right before you use them is the best way to preserve their freshness.
Additionally, if you doubt whether you should wash pre-washed produce, there are a few things to keep in mind. According to the FDA, packaged greens are safe, but you need to be careful so as not to contaminate them yourself by exposing them to harmful bacteria from animal products via shared appliances or unwashed hands. All other produce needs to be thoroughly washed with water before consumption — but we’re sure you know that already.
Not all produce likes to sit together.
Don’t be fooled by color-coordinated fridge photos on Instagram — not all fruits and veggies can be kept together. How and where you store them is important. If your fresh produce keeps wilting, ethylene may be the cause. This gaseous hormone found in plants affects their growth and development. In other words, it’s what helps them ripen. It is so potent that they even use it commercially to ensure fruits get perfectly ripe at the store.
To master home produce storage, you need to know which plants produce ethylene and which ones are sensitive to it and try to keep them apart. The rule of thumb is that fruits and vegetables should be kept separate. Bananas, melons, apples, tomatoes, and avocados are some of the ethylene-producing items, while broccoli, cucumbers, leafy greens, and peaches are ethylene-sensitive. On the other hand, most berries and citrus fruit aren’t ethylene sensitive and can be safely stored next to any plant foods. The same goes for potatoes, garlic, and pineapples, but those shouldn’t be refrigerated.
Most people tend to store their fruits and veggies in the same place. You might know it as the “produce drawer.” It might even have little fruit and vegetable images on it. But don’t let that fool you: Not all produce belongs in the crisper drawer, as it is alternatively known. In fact, if you don’t use it properly, it could turn into a produce graveyard.
The main thing to consider is humidity. Refrigerators are designed to generate cool, dry air, which is not the best environment for perishable produce. The pull-out drawer at the bottom is the most humid place in your fridge due to limited airflow. While it’s the perfect spot for thin-skinned vegetables and greens, its humid environment can be detrimental to foods that tend to rot rather than wilt. If possible, adjust the refrigerator settings to cater to both. If not, keep the less “thirsty” plants outside of the crisper drawer, closer to the back of the fridge, where it’s cooler.
Few things are more disappointing than discovering a box of mushy cucumbers, a bag of slimy scallions, or a box of pitiful, shrunken carrots in your fridge. Thankfully, you don’t need to put in additional time or money to avoid that. The solution is as simple as keeping veggies and fruits that are prone to wilting in water-filled containers in the refrigerator.
A good technique to maintain the freshness of herbs and scallions is to store them as if they were flowers. When doing this, it’s important to rinse off the ends of the stems, taking off any dirt or slime. Make sure to put only a little water in the container; 1 to 2 inches should do it. Cover the tops with a loose plastic bag to create a greenhouse effect and prevent them from drying out and overcooling.
Carrots can also be kept fresh for weeks if submerged in water, either in a vertical or a horizontal container. Other water-rich vegetables, such as celery, will also benefit from being stored this way. Finally, while whole cucumbers will turn into a soggy mess if not kept utterly dry, sliced cucumbers will thrive in an airtight container filled with cold water. Whatever you’re storing this way, remember to change the water regularly to keep the produce fresh longer.
Have you ever wondered how supermarkets manage the abundance of perishable items they have to sell every day? Or how do restaurants make sure the food they serve is fresh? The FIFO method is the answer. This is a stock rotation system used in commercial and industrial environments that follows the concept of “first in, first out.” This system applies to refrigerated and frozen items, as well as those in dry storage, ensuring that food is fresh and that waste is minimized. To apply this method at home, you need to determine the expiration date on the food, place the items with the earliest expiry date at the front, and use first the items in the front. If you wanted to reduce food waste and incorporate more produce into your diet, this is the method for you.
If you store your food in reusable containers, make sure to label them in order to monitor expiry dates. You may also place a handy printout of produce lifespans on the fridge to aid you. Lastly, remember that FIFO is an ongoing process. After each new trip to the grocery store, always rotate the food in the fridge so that older produce can be consumed before it spoils.
For more information on storing fresh produce and making sure you get the most for your money, please keep an eye on Make Food Safe.