FAQ About Produce

Should I wash my produce?
· Wash all fruits and vegetables in clean drinking water before eating.
· This applies to all fruits and vegetables, even if you don't eat the rind or skin (such as melons and oranges).
· Wash produce just before you use it, not when you put it away.

Should I use detergents to wash my produce?
· No.
· Produce items are porous and can absorb the detergent or bleach.

What are some basic selection tips for choosing fresh produce?
· Choose fresh-looking fruits and vegetables that are not bruised, shriveled, moldy, or slimy.
· Don't buy anything that smells bad.
· Buy only what you need because most fruits and vegetables are not "stock-up" items.
· Keep produce on top in your shopping cart (heavy items on top will bruise fruits and vegetables, and raw meat products might drip juices on them).
· Some items that may seem hardy, such as cauliflower, actually are very delicate and bruise easily.

Are imported fruits and vegetables safe?
· Yes.
· Fruits and vegetables imported into the Canada must meet the same rules that apply to Canadian grown produce.

What are some food safety preparation tips?
· Wash all produce just before using.
· Peel and discard outer leaves or rinds.
· Scrub hearty vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, if you want to eat the fiber- and nutrient-rich skin.
· Clean surfaces (including cutting boards), utensils, and hands.
· Keep refrigerators clean and cold.
· Cover/refrigerate produce you have cut.
· Don't store raw meats above uncovered fresh produce.
· Keep prepared fruit salads and other cut produce items in the refrigerator until just before serving.

What is ethylene gas?
Ethylene is a naturally occurring ripening gas. As some fruits and vegetables mature, they produce ethylene, which continues the ripening process. Without ethylene, some items, such as bananas, would never ripen.

How can I ripen fruit?
· To ripen some fruits (peaches, plums, avocados, etc.) put them in a ripening bowl or in a loosely closed brown paper bag (not plastic).
· The harmless, natural ripening gas they give off, called ethylene, will be held around them to help them continue to ripen.
· You can put a ripe banana or apple in with them to speed the process.
· Some fruits, such as pineapple, will not ripen after they are picked.

What fruits and vegetables are sensitive to ethylene?
Ethylene-sensitive (items sensitive to ethylene and will age more quickly):
· apples, asparagus (ethylene can cause toughness),
· bananas, broccoli (ethylene can cause yellowing),
· cucumbers (ethylene can cause yellowing),
· cut flowers, eggplant, green beans, leafy greens (ethylene can cause color loss),
lettuce varieties (ethylene can cause spots),
· potatoes, soft-shell squash,
· watermelon (ethylene can cause softness and mealiness of watermelon flesh).

What is misting?
Misting is a process grocery stores use to improve humidity around certain vegetables to reduce moisture loss.

Which items are misted?
· Misting is used only on certain vegetables - those that have the most rapid moisture loss, not all vegetables (for example, green onions, broccoli, and lettuces are OK, but not mushrooms or cauliflower).
· Misting is not used on fruits, most of which have rinds or peels to help reduce moisture loss.
· Other fruits, such as berries (and some vegetables, such as mushrooms), should not get wet until they are washed just before use.

Why do some produce items look like they have a white substance on them?
· Some produce items naturally produce a "bloom," which is a delicate white substance common on many soft fruits.
· The bloom protects the fruits from moisture loss and decay.
· In addition, some produce items are waxed, again to protect them from moisture loss and decay. Waxes may turn white on the surface of fruits and vegetables if they have been subjected to excessive heat and/or moisture.

What fruits and vegetables may have a coating of wax?
Fruits and vegetables that may have coatings applied include apples, avocados, bell peppers, cantaloupes, cucumbers, eggplants, grapefruits, lemons, limes, melons, oranges, parsnips, passion fruit, peaches, pineapples, pumpkins, rutabagas, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, and yucca. However, they are not always waxed.
FAQ (con’t)

Why does the wax sometimes turn white?
· Waxes may turn white on the surface of fruits or vegetables if they have been subjected to excessive heat and/or moisture.
· This whitening is safe and is similar to that of a candy bar that has been in the freezer.

What is irradiation, and is it used on fresh produce?
· Irradiation is used occasionally on fruits and vegetables to eliminate insect infestation, to inhibit growth and maturation, and to prevent spoilage.
· Irradiation cannot make foods good by reversing spoilage or maturation, but it can stop or slow it down.
· At certain levels, irradiation also kills germs and can serve as an alternative to chemical fumigants. Foods that are irradiated do not become radioactive, and health authorities worldwide approve of irradiating foods.
· In Canada, all irradiated foods are labeled at the supermarket.

How can I make it convenient for my children to eat fresh fruits and vegetables?
· Store fresh-cut veggies on low shelves in the fridge so younger children can reach.
· Put whole fruit in a bowl on the counter -- easy to see and a reminder to eat it.
· Keep grapes in the freezer for a sweet frozen treat.
· Have dried fruit on hand for snacks, lunch boxes, etc.

How can I help my kids establish good eating habits?
· Set the example!
· If children grow up exposed to fruits and vegetables and they see you eating your fruits and vegetables, they're more likely to eat them as adults.
· Make snacks of fresh produce for everyone, with or without dips. Be sure mom/dad practice what they preach because seeing is believing.
· Make healthful snacks the ONLY snacks kept in the house.
· Set and chart a family 5 A Day goal -- eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
· Watch for role models! Professional athletes, actors, and models often talk about eating lots of fruits and vegetables to maintain their conditioning, health, and stamina.
· Teachers/coaches may offer support about healthful eating or training tables.

How long will apples stay fresh if they are stored in the refrigerator?
· Refrigerated apples last up to ten times longer than apples left at room temperature.
· The average storage life for an unbruised apple, which is handled and stored well, is approximately 90 days.

Why do some potatoes have a green coloration? Is it sign of toxicity?
· The green coloration is caused by prolonged storage in light.
· The green spots contain a substance called solanine, which is bitter and often times toxic.
· You should trim any green areas from the potato before use.
· In order to prevent discoloration, store potatoes in a cool, dark place that is well ventilated.

Why do potatoes sometimes turn dark brown when cooked?
· Discoloration of the potato’s skin is most likely caused by refrigeration.
· Potatoes should be stored in a cool dry place, at temperatures no lower than 40 degrees F.

Can you eat the skin of a kiwi? What are ways I can serve kiwi?
· The skin of the kiwi fruit is edible, although fuzzy.
· Kiwi can be peeled and sliced
· Kiwi can be cut in half and served with a spoon. They are eaten by scooping out the fruit with the spoon.

Can bananas be stored in the refrigerator?
· Bananas should not be refrigerated.
· It damages the quality of the fruit and may hasten spoilage.
· The best place to store bananas is on a counter top, away from other fruits and vegetables. Otherwise, the ethylene produced by the bananas will cause the other produce to ripen much more rapidly.

What is mesclun?
· Mesclun is a colorful assortment of leaf lettuces.
· It is a mixed salad of radicchio (purple leaf), endive (white spikes), chicory (very curly, tight leaves), and other greens.

What are some fruits or vegetables I can add to my daily diet that are rich in nutrients, vitamins, and proteins?
· Different fruits and vegetables have different nutritional components, so eating a wide variety is important.
· Include items from different "families", such as the citrus family or the cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, cabbage).
· The more colorful the item the greater the nutrition value.

What distinguishes a fruit from a vegetable?
· Biologically a fruit is the edible reproductive body of a seed plant, which is often sweet.
· Vegetables are the fleshy edible plants, which are more mineral-rich, and less sugary than fruits. This may include any edible part of a plant such as the leaf, stem, tuber, root, bulb, berry, or seed.