News release

From: Food Safety Information Council

As Spring kicks in, and we start to get out into the garden, the Food Safety Information Council has released its latest food safety tips for gardening.

Lydia Buchtmann, the Council’s CEO, said our most recent national research on food safety and gardening that shows 4 in 10 Australians (43% of women vs 36 % of men) grow their own vegetables and/or fruit either in their backyard or in community gardens.

‘It’s great to grow your own veggies, fruit and herbs, as they can be picked fresh as you need them, can save money and also help our children understand where food comes from. But we are reminding people to make sure they minimise contamination of your homegrown produce as well as reducing risk of exposure to microbial and chemical hazards.

‘Faeces from pets or wildlife might contain microbes and parasites that can make you sick. Backyard chickens may also carry Salmonella and Campylobacter. You can reduce this risk by covering the veggie garden with bird-safe mesh and by keeping cats and dogs out with a high fence.

‘Cats in particular can pass on, through their faeces, the infective stage of Toxoplasma parasites that can be particularly risky for pregnant women and their unborn babies, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Also make sure to secure and cover children’s sandboxes when they are not in use to deter cats from using them as makeshift litterboxes.

‘You can avoid other foodborne health risks by following these five simple tips when growing your fruit and veg:

1. Locate your veggie beds in a safe spot. Locate your veggie patch and herbs in a convenient spot but choose a site away from any potential hazards. For example, if you have an older building, avoid using soil that could have been contaminated by scrapings of lead paint from many years ago or soil close to the street where it might have been contaminated by leaded petrol. Preferably grow your veggies in a raised bed with new soil and plant away from septic tank systems.
2. Compost safely. Veggies need lots of nutrients but make sure any compost is well composted before use as the heat generated by the composting process not only kills any weed seeds but also helps kill bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Prevent easy access to your compost bin by vermin and pests like mice and rats, which can spread disease, and don’t compost meat scraps which can also attract vermin. You can also use reputable commercial compost and fertiliser mixes.
3. Use clean water. It’s best to only use water you would drink directly on your fruit and vegetables.  If you want to recycle ‘grey’ water from the washing machine water it will contain microbes so don’t put it on to the edible parts of fruit. Also, water from the washing up or dishwasher may have too much fat and other solids which can be bad for plant growth
4. Follow instructions on garden chemicals. Minimise the use of garden chemicals like pesticides and herbicides and make sure you follow the directions on the label exactly. Don’t spray other areas of the garden in windy conditions in case the spray drifts onto fruit and vegetables. Some chemicals will have withholding periods you must follow before you harvest any fruit or vegetables that have been sprayed. Consider organic solutions more compatible with the environment, and the safety of your produce.
5. Wash your fruit and veg before eating. Whole fruits and vegetables may be contaminated by soil on the surface. Scrubbing and washing them just before eating, under clean running water, will remove loose soil and may remove many bacteria and viruses, as can removal of the skin. If you are gardening near marshy areas or grazing paddocks avoid the parasite liver fluke by properly cooking vegetables.

‘Finally, remember after gardening to always wash your hands with soap and running water and dry them thoroughly as soil may contain harmful microbes – use a nailbrush to remove dirt from your fingernails. And wear gardening gloves to minimise contamination of your hands. If you are elderly, pregnant or have a weakened immune system choose fruit and vegetables that are easy to clean, and avoid curly leaf herbs and vegetables or rock melons that have a netted surface,’ Ms Buchtmann concluded.