Did you know that melons are considered a potentially hazardous food item?

Several years ago, cut melons were attributed to outbreaks of Salmonella in New Jersey. Since then, melons such as cantaloupes, honeydew and watermelon have all been classified as potentially hazardous food items, which means that these foods are capable of supporting rapid bacterial growth when thermally abused. As such, cut melon should always be staged at temperatures of 41°F and below. Before preparation, it is important to thoroughly wash the outside of the melon. Some manufactures even offer a sanitizing wash that has been proven to reduce bacterial levels and is specifically formulated for contact with food items such as melons and other produce items.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 6th, 2007 at 10:41 am and is filed under Uncategorized, Food Safety. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.