Do raw vegetables and fruits pose a food poisoning risk?
The answer to this question is yes. Raw vegetables and fruits often contain micro-organisms that can contribute to premature spoilage of the food or even food poisoning. These micro-organisms include: Bacteria that can cause E.coli food poisoning (“hamburger disease”), Salmonellosis, Campylobacteriosis, and Shigellosis (dysentery); Viruses that can cause Hepatitis A and Norwalk viral illness; Parasites that can cause illness like cyclospora; and Molds that can cause the illnesses Aspergillosis and Ergotism. In addition, fruits and vegetables are sometimes sprayed with chemicals used to delay ripening, stimulate ripening, preserve the food for transport, or to protect the food from damage by insects and rodents. If ingested in high enough amounts these chemicals can sometimes cause illness. How do raw vegetables and fruits become contaminated? Many food poisoning microbes are found in the soil naturally and can contaminate vegetables and fruits that grow in the soil or fall onto the gro
