Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- September 25, 2007

Reaping autumn's harvest can require food safety awareness (:43)

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Suggested Intro:

FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO HIT THE FARMERS' MARKETS AND ROADSIDE STANDS, TO GET THE RIPEST FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. BUT AN EXPERT IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES WARNS US THAT THE HARVEST CAN ALSO HARBOR SALMONELLA, E-COLI AND OTHER FOODBORNE PATHOGENS. GARY ABDULLAH HAS THE STORY:

Story:

(:16) WITH SO MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES COMING TO HARVEST, FALL FARMERS' MARKETS AND ROADSIDE STANDS OFFER JUST-PICKED FRESHNESS AND BARGAIN PRICES. BUT PENN STATE FOOD SCIENTIST LUKE LABORDE SAYS SHOPPERS SHOULD REMEMBER SOME FOOD SAFETY PRINCIPLES:

LaBorde Actuality:

(:17) "YOU CAN'T TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT IT WHETHER IT HAS MICROORGANISMS ON IT. BUT YOU CAN LOOK FOR CERTAIN SIGNS. WHEN YOU'RE BUYING FRUIT YOU SHOULD SELECT ONLY FRUIT THAT IS NOT HEAVILY BRUISED OR LOOKS DISEASED. MINOR BLEMISHES ARE FINE BUT WHAT YOU WANT TO AVOID IS DEEP, HEAVY BRUISES WHERE MOLD CAN GROW."

(:14) LABORDE SAYS LOOK FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THAT ARE INTACT, WITHOUT EXCESSIVE SOILS OR BLEMISHES. KNOW THAT NEATNESS COUNTS: A CLEAN STAND CAN INDICATE A DILLIGENT VENDOR. AND ALWAYS WASH YOUR PURCHASE THOROUGHLY BEFORE CONSUMPTION. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.

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Learn more:

"Food Safety for Farmers' Markets" (Publication in PDF format -- Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

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