Unwashed fruits and veggies

Eating fresh produce provides important health benefits, but sometimes raw fruits and vegetables may contain Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and other bacteria. Contamination can occur anytime from the farm right to the table, including via cross-contamination in your own kitchen. So always wash your produce carefully. If your immune system is compromised for any reason (for example, if you’re undergoing chemotherapy, or you’ve recently had surgery), then wash them at least twice before eating. Here are four ways to wash the goodies you bring home from the farmer’s market.

By the way, this is true for fruits with peels as well, according to Registered Dietitian, Jodi Danen. That’s because you’re either touching the peel with your fingers or cutting through the peel, thereby cross-contaminating the flesh with germs from the peel. In addition, Danen points out that once fruits and veggies are sliced, they must be refrigerated within a four-hour window to prevent bacterial growth.