"Dirtiest Fruit" Ranked #1: Many People Love to Eat It in Summer — Beware of Food Safety Risks!

As the hot summer arrives,
Street-side pre-cut fruit has become increasingly popular.

But many people overlook the fact that
These seemingly convenient fruit cuts
Can actually cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Moldy Fruit Passed Off as Fresh

When fruit goes slightly bad, vendors can't sell whole fruit but hate to throw it away. Some clever merchants cut off the rotten parts and use the seemingly good portions to make pre-cut fruit — passing off inferior goods as quality ones, making it hard to detect with the naked eye.

Rotten fruit generally falls into two categories: one is local tissue damage caused by frostbite or bruising; the other is decay due to poor storage. Although the latter may only look partially bad, the entire fruit may already be contaminated. Even after cutting away the spoiled parts, it is not recommended for consumption.

One research agency collected slightly spoiled fruit samples from markets for microbial and mycotoxin testing, including common fruits like peaches, apples, and grapes. The results showed that once fruit is partially rotten or moldy, the entire fruit has high levels of microbial contamination, including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and mold. Many slightly spoiled fruits have bacterial counts exceeding safe levels even in seemingly intact parts — the contamination is significant, just invisible to the naked eye.

Figure: Reference [1]

Gansu Agricultural University conducted a detailed study on patulin in rotten apples. The results showed that the larger the rotten area, the higher the patulin content. Patulin also spreads to surrounding tissues — the farther from the rotten spot, the lower the patulin levels, and the closer, the higher. The content increases with the diameter of the rotten area, and patulin can spread throughout nearly the entire apple.

Fruit spoilage is not just a surface phenomenon; it silently penetrates every part. The best approach is to throw away the entire fruit.

Concerning Hygiene Conditions

1. Not Washing Hands Properly

Our hands may look clean, but they harbor many bacteria, with your dominant hand carrying even more. If hands are not thoroughly cleaned or disposable gloves are not worn before cutting fruit, bacteria on hands can contaminate the fruit.

Some people also use their phones while cutting fruit. Phone surfaces commonly carry pathogens such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, E. coli, Enterococcus, Candida, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella, which can easily contaminate food.

2. Unhygienic Knives and Cutting Boards

Knives and cutting boards that come into contact with fruit peels can breed bacteria if not cleaned properly. Using them to cut fruit flesh can lead to cross-contamination — the larger the contact area, the faster the spoilage.

3. Not Peeling Fruit

Some fruits may not be eaten with the skin, but they should still be washed before peeling. For example, cantaloupe may carry Listeria bacteria.

4. Not Wearing Disposable Masks

Studies have found that normal speech, coughing, and sneezing all release droplets. Larger droplets can travel up to 2.5 meters horizontally before landing, while smaller droplets evaporate into droplet nuclei that remain suspended in the air and travel with air currents. Without proper mask-wearing, droplets may contaminate food.

Unknown Preparation and Storage Time

When buying pre-cut fruit from street stalls, we have no idea how long it has been prepared and stored. The degree of fruit spoilage increases with storage time, and so does the food safety risk.

A 2017 study published in Foodborne Pathogens and Disease compared the growth of Salmonella and E. coli in fresh-cut cantaloupe, honeydew melon, mango, watermelon, dragon fruit, papaya, and pineapple under different storage temperatures.

The results showed that Salmonella and E. coli in fresh-cut fruit showed no significant change over 6 days at 5°C storage. However, when stored at 25°C, the bacterial count of both could multiply fourfold within a single day, with longer storage leading to more bacteria.

This demonstrates that the risk of bacterial contamination in street-side pre-cut fruit is not low. The longer the storage time and the higher the temperature, the greater the risk of food poisoning.

Street-side pre-cut fruit is convenient,
But it's best to steer clear of unlicensed stalls.
Especially for children, the elderly, pregnant women,
And others with weaker immune systems.
Be extra cautious when buying.

Share this to remind your family and friends!

Source: Science China (Kepu China)
Editor: Wang Zhen, Zeng Tian
Publisher: Jingchu Net (Hubei Daily Network)