How to Wash Salmonella From Tomatoes

With salmonella outbreaks affecting fruits and vegetables, knowing how to properly wash fresh produce at home is especially important. It's critical to ensure that produce is properly prepared, especially for the elderly, children and those with weakened immune systems. When it comes to washing tomatoes to reduce the risk of contracting salmonella and other food-borne illnesses, the process recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a common-sense approach.

Things You'll Need

• Hot water
• Dish soap
• Hand soap
• Produce brush
• Knife
• Clean dish towel or paper towel

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Instructions

• 1

  Keep tomatoes separated from raw meats, raw seafood and other raw produce.

• 2

  Ensure that cutting boards, knives, utensils and bowls have been cleaned since the preparation of any other foods. Cleaning should be done with hot, soapy water.

• 3

  Wash your hands with hot soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

• 4

  Cut away damaged or bruised areas on the tomatoes before washing. If the tomato appears rotten, discard it.

• 5

  Wash the tomato under running hot water and then scrub the tomato with a produce brush.

• 6

  Wash your hands again with hot soap and water.

• 7

  Use a clean knife to cut out the scar where the stem was attached to the tomato.

• 8

  Dry the tomato on a clean dish towel or paper towel.