Cyclospora cases are on the rise in South Florida, and experts are emphasizing washing before eating produce

As families look to ensure their produce is safe to consume amid rising cases of cyclosporiasis in South Florida, health experts emphasize the importance of proper cleaning and preparation techniques.

Veronica Serrano, director of food and nutrition at Memorial Hospital Pembroke, said simple steps, starting with hand hygiene, can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

`"Make sure your hands are also clean first before you start doing any of these things, scrub under your nails," Serrano said. "Make sure you're scrubbing your hands really well."

Serrano advises that the preparation method should vary depending on the type of produce. For head lettuce, such as iceberg, she recommends removing the outer layer before washing.

"We're going to take the first layer of the iceberg lettuce, which is one of the most difficult ones to probably peel," she said. "We're going to go ahead and take it off as carefully as we can, and you can start washing it if you want to leave it whole, one by one, or you can chop it up and put it in a colander."

For those handling berries, Serrano advises caution, particularly for individuals who are immunocompromised.

"I would be very careful," she said. "Berries have the seed spores over here. So if you grab things like this that are very porous, you're gonna find that pathogens, bacteria, they all kind of live in here."

For immunocompromised individuals, Serrano recommends avoiding raw produce entirely, noting that foods should be cooked to at least 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Memorial Hospital Pembroke has already taken steps to mitigate risk by removing items like strawberries and blackberries from their menus.

When shopping, Serrano noted that consumers should be particularly wary of porous fruits and vegetables. For produce with thick skins, she suggests scrubbing the exterior thoroughly.

Even when purchasing prepackaged items, such as Caesar or chef salads, Serrano said consumers should take precautions.

"Those I would still clean because you don't know how those have been processed in the processing plant," she said.

For more information on the safe preparation of fruits and vegetables, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.