Melons
A few years ago, a massive cantaloupe recall traced the problem to water contaminated with listeria in the packing house. The trouble with melons—as well as other fruit with a tough peel—is that, because you don’t eat it, you may be a tad lackadaisical about cleaning it. But once you’re slicing through it, your knife can pick up any pathogens and pass them onto the edible portions.
How to avoid food poisoning: “Don’t just rinse your cantaloupe, scrub it down and wipe it dry before you cut it open,” says Dr. Diez-Gonzalez. And after you slice it up, store the melon in the fridge and plan to polish it off within three days (or toss the rest).
