Escherichia coli, or E. coli for short, is a type of bacteria that lives in your small intestine, usually without causing any problems. However, a few strains of E.coli, such as E. coli O157:H7, may contaminate your food and cause severe food poisoning. Symptoms of E.coli food poisoning occur within 24 to 72 hours after eating contaminated items, and include violent or bloody diarrhea, fever, stomach cramping and gas. Although the infection often runs its course in a few days, MedLine Plus recommends seeking medical treatment if you are ill longer than four days and develop dehydration from being unable to keep fluids down.
Step 1
Wash your hands thoroughly before handling any raw fruits or vegetables. Any traces of fecal matter that you leave on your hands after using the bathroom can spread E.coli bacteria to anything you touch.
Step 2
Clean and disinfect all surfaces, including cutting boards and knives, before they come into contact with your vegetables. You can use 1 tbsp. of chlorine bleach per gallon of water to sanitize your utensils, the Colorado State University Extension suggests.
Step 3
Clean only the vegetables you're going to use immediately -- bacteria may grow again, even after washing. Soaking raw vegetables in distilled white vinegar for three to five minutes may kill E. coli O157:H7 bacteria. Rinse the vegetables after soaking to remove the vinegar flavor.
Step 4
Separate leaves of lettuce and spinach -- or any vegetable in which leaves grow in a bunch -- for washing. Washing the leaves individually is significantly better at removing E. coli from the lettuce than the intact washing. Separate lettuce leaves prior to washing and wash them very well in a sink of water that is safe for drinking.
Step 5
Discard any produce that becomes too warm at home or starts to turn brown around the edges. Do not try to save produce that has started to rot.
Tips and Warnings
- Only use water that is safe to drink for washing your hands or washing your vegetables.
- Buy your produce locally and in season to avoid problems from factory farming practices, which may include improper manure handling or irrigation with contaminated water.
