Released May 28, 2009
MANHATTAN, Kan. –Sampling a new food can help consumers decide whether or not to purchase it, but consumers are urged to be cautious, a Kansas State University specialist said.
Taste tests can be risky at outdoor markets, food fairs or other settings where food safety can be compromised by a lack of sanitary facilities, said Karen Blakeslee, Kansas State University Research and Extension food scientist.
She recommends washing the skins of fresh fruits and vegetables before cutting, because fresh produce can come in contact with naturally occurring bacteria in the soil that may cause foodborne illness. Failure to wash fresh fruits and vegetables before cutting into them may mean that potentially harmful bacteria is transferred to the edible flesh – and eaten.
“Be observant,” Blakeslee said. “Size up the cleanliness of the area in which the sample is being offered before taste testing: Is the area clean? Is water available? Are insects present? Is the person offering the sample wearing protective gloves?”
More information on food and food safety is available at county and district K-State Research and Extension offices and on Extension Web sites: http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/foodsafety; http://www.ksre.ksu.edu and http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/humannutrition.
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http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ksrenews/story/briefs052809.aspx
Writer: Elaine Edwards, elainee@ksu.edu
