Most people are aware that sanitation is a major concern when handling animal foods, such as beef and chicken, in order to avoid foodborne illnesses. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, many of the same strains of bacteria that contaminate meat and poultry have also been reported in fresh fruits and vegetables.

The deadly strain of E coli has resulted in reported cases of foodborne illness from lettuce and unpasteurized apple juice. In addition, Salmonella bacteria has been reported on cantaloupe, watermelon and tomatoes; Listeria on cabbage; and Campylobacter on mushrooms. According to the CDC, a major reason for the increase in illnesses in fruits and vegetables has to do with the large amount of fresh produce imported from Third World countries during certain times of the year.

While domestic growers follow strict sanitation practices, not all countries are as cautious. The result can be bacteria on produce from such problems as contaminated irrigation water, exposure to animal feces, etc. And while these cases are not near the proportions reported in meat and poultry products, some common sense precautions are in order:

• Buy only the amount of fresh produce that you need -- the longer fruits and vegetables are held, the greater the possibility that any bacteria present will grow

• At the supermarket, make sure meat and poultry are bagged separately from fruits and vegetables; if meats juices seep out of the package and onto produce, the fruits and vegetables can become contaminated with bacteria; if the produce is eaten raw, any bacteria present would not be destroyed

• Wash your hands before handling any type of food product, including fruits and vegetables

• Rinse produce with cold water, including rinds and peels that you do not intent to eat; if bacteria is present on the surface, it can be passed into the flesh when the fruit is cut with a knife; use a good vegetable brush to scrub the surface but do not use detergents to wash fruit

• Refrigerate leftover cut fruits and vegetables within a couple of hours of slicing

Use a different cutting board for fruits/vegetables from what is used for meat and poultry items; periodically run all cutting boards through the dishwasher