A recent report published by the Produce Safety Project estimates that foodborne illnesses costs $152 billion annually in medical expenses and workplace losses. Foodborne illness from contaminated produce is the biggest culprit, costing more than $1,950 for each reported case. And when more than 19 million produce-related foodborne illness cases are reported each year, that adds up to a lot of dough. $39 billion to be exact.

Food safety advocates hope to use this data to motivate Congress to pass the Food Safety Enhancement Act, legislation that will increase the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authority to make sure our dinners are safe to eat. Last July, the bill passed in the House of Representatives, and step two is the Senate’s seal of approval. The bill has kind of been sitting on the back burner while the Senate debates health care reform, but legislators are hoping to vote on it this spring…fingers crossed.

In the meantime, there are things we can do to not only minimize the spread of bacteria and viruses that can cause foodborne illness, but the costs associated with these illnesses as well. The FDA has some great tips on purchasing, storing and preparing fresh produce to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses.

When you’re at the store, try to avoid purchasing damaged or bruised products. Fresh cut items, like bagged mixed greens or sliced fruits, should either be surrounded by ice, or in a refrigerated case at the store. Don’t forget to bag fruits and veggie separate from meat, poultry and fish. This can reduce the risk of cross contamination!

Make sure to store you fresh fruits and veggies in temperatures below 40 degrees – especially if you bought them pre-cut or pre-sliced. When you’re ready to eat, cut away any bruised or damaged area, and always remember to thoroughly wash AND dry your food to minimize the number of bacteria and viruses that may be lurking on your lettuce. Sometimes produce is packaged with labels that say “pre-washed.”  It’s not mandatory to wash these items, but an extra rinse couldn’t hurt.

And as always, make sure you use clean utensils and cutting boards when you’re chopping up things like carrots and chicken. The two may taste great in a soup, but it’s never a good idea to use the same cutting boards or utensils when you’re prepping the ingredients.

So keep your fingers crossed and your celery clean. Proper produce handling can not only save lives, but big bucks as well!

For more information and tips on preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses, check out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agricutlure’s Food Safety Inspection Service’s Websites!

Questions about food safety legislation?  Be sure to check out this podcast with Dr. Ashley Shelton, of the American Veterinary Medical Association and learn what Congress has been doing to keep our food safe.

In the latest Chew on This podcast, Dr. Ashley Shelton, assistant director of the AVMA's Governmental Relations Division, discusses pending legislation that could affect and, possibly, reshape food safety systems in the U.S.

Decisions made by the U.S. Congress have a major impact on the ways we keep food safe in our country. And with so many food safety concerns over the past few years, Congress has been busy writing and discussing legislation that could affect and, possibly, reshape our food safety systems. Listen to the new podcast now.

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released results from a 2008 Health and Diet survey indicating that a majority of consumers do, in fact, read food labels because they are beginning to get a better understanding the role proper nutrition plays in lowering the risk of chronic diseases. According to the survey, more consumers “often read labels to determine the amount of calories, salts, vitamins or fat contained in the food products they are buying.” Choosing healthy, safe food is always music to our ears!

But the labels on food packaging can tell us more than just the nutritional content. There is another teensy little label that has a pretty big impact on food safety, especially when it comes to meat and poultry products – the expiration date.

One might think the meaning of an expiration label is self-explanatory, but this is not always the case. Actually, expiration labels are often called “dating labels” – but don’t confuse these with dinner and a movie dates. These labels are used to indicate how long your food should stay fresh.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), by reading so-called dating labels, we can learn more than the date that the meat goes bad. For example, if you own a grocery store, these labels help you and your employees determine how long to keep products like meat, eggs and cheese available for sale. And before adding a gallon of milk to their carts, shoppers can look to dating labels to see how long the milk will taste its best.

But while these labels are helpful when you’re trying to determine how long you should keep a porterhouse, it’s really important to remember these dates don’t guarantee the food is safe.