ALEXANDRIA — Increasingly, foodborne illness outbreaks are being traced to lettuce, tomatoes, cantaloupe and other raw fruits and vegetables.

Microorganisms are a natural part of the environment and most are beneficial or neutral for human and plant health. But pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites found in the feces of humans and animals like E. coli, salmonella and listeria and can spread to fresh produce that will be eaten raw and cause serious illness if ingested.

It only takes 10 cells of E.coli 1057:H7 for example to make many people seriously ill.

Fecal contamination on produce can be a problem whether you choose to use organic or conventional gardening methods.

Contaminated water, tools, animals and manure-contaminated soil may spread harmful organisms in your garden. The good thing is that basic food safety practices like handwashing and cleaning equipment goes a long way in preventing foodborne illness from your garden produce.

Follow these food safety practices to keep your harvest, family and friends safe this fall.

If you are lucky enough to have a surplus of produce this fall, you might think about donating it to a food shelf, church or other hunger-relief organization. We have no way to know who will eat the food we donate, which is why it's important to take safety precautions when donating produce.

For more information about food safety, canning and storing garden grown produce, visit the On-Farm Food Safety Program’s website: https://extension.umn.edu/safety/growing-safe-food

Until next time, happy gardening!

This cabbage, these carrots, these potatoes, these onions ... will soon become me. Such a tasty fact! - Mike Garofalo

Robin Trott is a horticulture educator with University of Minnesota Extension. Contact her at 320-762-3890, or at trot0053@umn.