Three Simple Steps Towards Safer Food

A note from Dole's Vice President, Food Safety & Quality, Natalie Dyenson

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming June 7th of every year as World Food Safety Day.  Food safety is a shared responsibility from the farmers who cultivate and harvest our food to the restaurants and retail locations that sell the products we enjoy every day.  As a consumer, you also have very important role to play in food safety. In recognition of the 2nd Annual World Food Safety Day taking place this month, we would like to provide you with some tips on how you can promote food safety in the home:

• Wash your hands thoroughly and often.  Proper hand hygiene is just as important to promoting food safety as it is to protecting your health.  Make sure you wash hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before drying with a single use towel.
• Clean your workspace and utensils.  It is important to remember when handling food, you should clean and sanitize all work surfaces, including counters and cutting boards, as well as your utensils prior to use.  You should also be sure to wash all produce, even if it has a peel or inedible rind, in cool running water before using or consuming.  And do not forget to clean and sanitize your sink before washing your produce as the sink can be a source of contamination as well!
• Keep produce away from other raw foods.  To prevent germs from raw foods such as eggs, meat, or poultry from contaminating your produce, keep these items stored separately and below your fresh produce in the refrigerator and process all produce items before handling and cutting other raw foods.

Join Dole in promoting World Food Safety Day by practicing these simple steps in your home each time you prepare food for your family.

Published June 2020