5 Grocery Store Items That Food Safety Experts Avoid

Justin Sullivan via Getty Images There are “far too many outbreaks and recalls and a lack of transparency and traceability” when it comes to bagged lettuce, said Darin Detwiler, the chair of the National Environmental Health Association’s Food Safety Program We all need to eat, but what we buy at the supermarket can make us sick if we aren’t careful. Pre-cut Fruit Many fresh fruits cut at the supermarket are not a safe choice according to Darin Detwiler, the chair of the National Environmental Health Association’s Food Safety Program and author of “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.” While it’s convenient to buy pre-cut fruit, “convenience should not be a priority over protecting ourselves and our families,” he said. “This ‘hybrid’ retail restaurant situation is one of those convenience items that increase sales while also increasing risks related to significant failures in food safety,” he said. Most Deli Counter Items Khubchandani also avoids most deli counter items and Detwiler is “not a fan of purchasing chicken or ground beef at the meat counter.” According to Detwiler, “Employees often know little about food safety, do not follow ‘first in, first out’ policies, have no idea where the product came from, nor how long it has been there.” Khubchandani added that employees who prepare these foods may come to work sick, may not follow best practices when it comes to hygiene, and may not be careful about controlling the temperature in the deli case.