The Benefits and Risks to Washing Your Produce
From Produce Bites by Michigan On-Farm Produce Safety
March 17, 2025 · 16 min
About this episode
This episode explores the science of washing produce and its effects on safety and quality, featuring insights from experts in food science and produce safety.
"Bacteria cannot walk, but they can swim." In this episode, we dive into the science behind washing produce and its impact on both produce safety and product quality. Dr. Teresa Bergholz, an associate professor of food science at Michigan State University, shares her research on washing leafy greens and the factors that can influence microbial risk. Joining the conversation are Phil Tocco, a produce safety educator with MSU Extension, and Landen Tetil, a Produce Safety Technician, who offer insights into best practices for washing produce on the farm.
People in this episode
Guests: Dr. Teresa Bergholz, Phil Tocco, Landen Tetil
Topics covered
- produce safety
- washing produce
- microbial risk
- food science
- best practices
Keywords
- washing produce
- leafy greens
- microbial risk
- produce safety
- food quality
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Michigan State University, MSU Extension
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