What’s happening to these produce items to make them so contaminated, and how is it prevented in most other crops?
In: 2
A batch or group of these crops is infected with the contagion in question. Since crops are collected, stored and transported together the causes of these infections can spread over large quantities of the fruit or vegetable.
It’s prevented in food production by proper sanitation, all food at times has been responsible for outbreak so it’s not really like fruits or vegetables are worse. Since fruits and veggies get eaten raw illnesses that would be killed by cooking aren’t.
Fruits and vegetables do not inherently need to be washed and cleansed in ways that counter those germs before being eaten, so if a large batch does get covered in those germs or if the handlers are infected or if the tools are infected, the germs can spread without being (for example) killed in the cooking process.
Also, many plants grow in an outdoor environment. You know what else is in the same environment? Birds and other animals. Those animals poop. That poop gets on the plants. (as an important note, these things happen with indoor storage, with mice and bugs). Raw cookie dough is more dangerous (for most people) because of its raw flour (another plant product, but one that might be infected in ways normal use actually cleanses) than it is for its raw eggs.
The biggest issue is that fruits and veggies are more likely to be eaten raw, and may or may not be adequately washed. Usually the contaminations you listed come from animal sources- so if manure in the field didn’t break down properly, or a bird or animal pooped in the field, or the water the produce was washed in wasn’t clean, those germs can get on our food and make us sick.
Most people dont bother to wash their fruits or veggies when they take them home from the store. That simple act of washing them could easily save you from getting sick.
Food processors generally pay poverty wages. This creates a situation where employees that are sick will hide the illness and come to work, handle the food and spread illnesses, like hepatitis.
E. Coli is evvvvrrryyywhere. Every surface you see probably has some E. coli on it. There is only one strain of E. coli that is dangerous however it’s name is O157. So if some of that strain gets on something and you eat it you get sick. Most of the time E. coli is completely harmless though. We have lots of it in our digestive tract normally.
Hepatitis A is a tough little virus. It can stick on surfaces for months. We’ve mostly eliminated it in the rich parts of the world using a vaccine. It’s just a normal part of life in many poorer parts of the world however. Even Mexico, right on the US’ doorstep, still has the virus. Normally what happens is that some food is shipped in from a place where the virus is endemic and someone who didn’t get the vaccine or the vaccine didn’t work for catch it. Then they can spread it a little around them.
Listeria is another free living bacteria. It’s just kind of in the dirt. Sometimes the bacteria gets on a plant in the field. That gets taken to be processed somewhere. And the machinery that does the processing gets contaminated and the bacteria starts growing on it. Then the other plants the machinery processes is contaminated by the machinery. Manufacturers are suppose to have procedures to clean the parts of the machinery that are likely to support bacteria. But not everyone does it very well.
I’ve wondered the same as the subject comes up. Without a lab nor a degree in this field I have my own non-scientific simple conclusions.
There are laminated messages on the walls of restaurant bathrooms that remind employees to wash their hands after using the restroom, including instructions. The most common reason specified in said laminated message is to stop the spread of E. Coli.
Let’s zoom out to the fields where fruits and vegetables are collected. Typically people collect our produce. People need to relieve (pee/poo) themselves and therefore outhouses are situated in proximity to the workers. If pay is based on the production of each worker individually, a worker might not leave their position to relieve themselves. Unless they’ve brought along some type of container for personal relief so as not to abandon their position thus disrupting production and personal income, the pee/poo will be discarded in the fields.
In addition, field workers would be required to carry hand sanitizer or hand sanitizer would be provided to the field workers.
I have no experience as a field worker nor do I know of any. I am a “simpleton”. Please be nice, honest and truthful if you are needing to comment on my comment.
Thank you!
Latest Answers