Cut fruit, always refrigerated!

Cut fruit should be kept in the refrigerator until consumed, both at home and in grocery stores and restaurants.

Fruits are very healthy and safe, but they are not without risks: there are pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella, Listeria and Escherichia coli, which can contaminate them and multiply in them. To protect your health and avoid problems, please follow the guidelines below.

Tips to avoid poisoning

Immediately refrigerate cut and/or peeled fruit

For example: if you buy the half a watermelon or a melonmake sure it is preserved cold .

Put the cut fruit you have bought in separate bags of meat, fish, shellfish and cleaning products.

Store all pre-cut fruit in the fridge

In the fridge, separate fruit from other cooked and raw foods and store in the least cold area.

In the fridge, where to put each food?

When preparing fruit, wash your hands and use clean utensils

Cutting fruit can transfer bacteria from the skin to the edible part: Wash your hands beforehand and wash the fruit, even if you are going to peel it later.

Do not use the same board, containers, or knives that you have used for meat, fish or other foods to avoid cross-contamination.

How is cut fruit contaminated?

In the environment (in the soil, in the air or through irrigation water...) or during production, transport or storage, the fruit can become contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella, Listeria o Escherichia coli.

When fruit is handled (for example, cut or peeled), both in the Home as in the food stores, In the greengrocers Or in the restaurants, pathogens can be transferred to the fleshy part of the fruit that we are going to consume, in several ways:

Through the handsif they are not clean.
Through surfaces from the kitchen or Utensils dirty kitchen (knives, cutting boards...).

In addition, if cut fruit is kept at room temperature, bacteria multiply rapidly in her. For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) found in 2014 that the bacterium Salmonella it can grow rapidly on cut melon stored at room temperature, with no apparent deterioration in appearance.

Preventive measures in food establishments

As a food company you should know that:

European regulations* regulate the obligation to keep food at adequate temperatures and, specifically, adequate control of the cold chain. However, it establishes that, for practical reasons, food may be allowed to be limited periods of time out of temperature control, as long as it does not pose a health risk.
The World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that fresh cut fruits should be kept at refrigeration temperatures from cutting to distribution.
Spanish regulations** indicate that the cut or peeled fruits, cut or peeled vegetables and unpasteurized juices ready for consumption and processed, must be kept at a temperature equal to or less than 4 ° C.
It is allowed to keep bulky fruits (melon, watermelon, papaya and pineapple) cut in half or quarters, at room temperature (20-25 ºC) for up to 3 hours after cutting. Once this time has elapsed, these fruits will be placed in a refrigerated display case, thus remaining until they are sold.
Establishments that carry out these practices must record the cutting time and inform the consumer (with a sign or label) that they must refrigerate that fruit.
In addition, they must have documented procedures that guarantee the time/temperature control in their food safety systems. They must control the display and storage conditions and enable suitable areas and utensils for cutting fruit to avoid cross-contamination.
The bulky vegetables cut in half, such as cabbage, cauliflower or similar They will not require refrigeration.

Recommendations:

cut the fruit into small amounts that can be sold or served to the consumer as soon as possible.
Discard For cutting very ripe fruits, or those that have wounds or cracks on their surface, since they can be a source of contamination.

You should know that the Regulation no. 2073/2005 fixed for ready-to-eat sliced fruit microbiological criteria for bacteria Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli.

_{*Regulation (CE) 852/2004relating to the hygiene of food products.}

_{**Royal Decree 1021 / 2022relating to the hygiene of food products.}

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How to avoid botulism

What to do in case of food poisoning?

If you suspect that there has been poisoning, for example, due to the appearance of gastrointestinal symptoms in several people who have eaten a meal together:

go to the doctor to assess the need for treatment.
Do not eat leftover suspect food, but do not throw it away immediately in case it needs to be tested.
Prevent those sick people from preparing food, and in any case, maintain hygiene recommendations in food preparation. See the five keys to food safety.

In addition to these recommendations, if you are aware of other people with gastrointestinal symptoms and who have shared a meal, access information on outbreak notification or contact: