Learning to rinse, clean, and cut up foods safely are basic kitchen-safety measures. Because you can’t really see or taste harmful bacteria, the USDA has launched a public campaign to teach consumers how to handle foods to prevent food-borne illnesses.

To do so, the USDA has established an enterprise called The Partnership for Food Safety Education. The Partnership’s basic food-handling guidelines are:

• Clean: Wash hands and surfaces often.

• Separate: Don’t cross contaminate.

• Cook: Cook to proper temperatures.

• Chill: Refrigerate promptly.

These rules must seem like common sense, but think about it: do you wash your hands for 20 seconds in warm, sudsy water before and after handling foods, after petting the dog, or after touching or handling trash or other dirty surfaces? Do you wear disposable gloves if your hands have any skin infection or cuts?

You must take the same precautions with any surfaces, such as a cutting board or knife blade, that come in contact with your food. For example, you should wash cutting boards with soapy water after each use, run them through the dishwasher at day’s end, and safely sanitize them with a solution of one teaspoon bleach to one quart water.

Washing Produce Before Use

You are just back from the market with a bagful of goodies. The apples look clean, and you see only a few grains of dirt on the lettuce. Into the fridge right away? No. All produce needs a rinse-off before use; you can’t be sure how it’s grown or who has handled it before you bring it home. Besides, most produce—especially leafy greens such as lettuce and spinach— benefits from a little extra moisture before refrigeration. Just don’t use soap and hot water!

While root vegetables need a scrubbing with a brush to clean off dirt, other vegetables and fruits can be swirled through a basin or tub of cold water, dried off with paper towels, and wrapped carefully in more paper towels and plastic—and, of course, refrigerated. Even though veggies labeled as prewashed may be safe enough to eat without extra rinsing, why take a chance? Give them a quick rinsing and drying off. Rinsing and wrapping also applies to fresh herbs, even to the herbs picked from your own garden.