Safe Handling of Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are often used to season and flavour dishes. Many people grow or buy herbs that are fresh and have not been dried. Popular types of fresh herbs include rosemary, oregano, basil and thyme. Canada's Food Guide recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet. By adding fresh herbs, you can help enhance the flavour of your favourite vegetable dishes and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

How can fresh herbs become contaminated?

Fresh herbs and other fruits and vegetables don't naturally contain bacteria that can make you sick.

Fresh herbs are grown close to the ground and the leaves can become contaminated in the field by soil, contaminated water, wild and domestic animals or improperly composted manure. Bacteria may also be transferred during and after harvest from handling, storing and transporting.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, including herbs, can also become contaminated with disease-causing bacteria when they come into contact with raw food items such as meat, poultry, seafood and their juices. Such contaminations can happen at the grocery store, in the shopping cart, in the refrigerator or from counters and cutting boards at home.

How do I select fresh herbs at the grocery store?

Whether you buy fresh herbs from the grocery store or pick them from your garden, make sure the herbs have bright leaves and a fresh smell. The stalks should be crisp and the leaves should not be dried out. If the leaves are beginning to yellow or brown or have black spots, it could mean that the herbs are no longer fresh.

Storing fresh herbs

Fresh herbs can be stored in the refrigerator at 4ºC (40ºF) or less after they have been cut. You should trim the ends of the stalks and place the unwashed fresh herbs into a resealable plastic bag. Store the fresh herbs in the crisper or vegetable bin of your refrigerator and they can be kept refrigerated for up to five days. Fresh herbs can also be kept frozen in a freezer bag after being washed and pat dried with paper towels.

Basil should also be stored unwashed but unlike other fresh herbs, basil should be stored unrefrigerated and uncovered. It is the only herb that should be stored this way because the cold will cause the basil leaves to turn black.

Cleaning and preparing fresh herbs

Wash your fresh herbs under fresh, cool, running water to clean off any dirt. Make sure you throw out any leaves that are yellowing or have spots. Don't soak fresh herbs in a sink full of water because the sink can harbour bacteria that can be transferred to the fresh herbs.

There is no need to use anything other than water when washing fresh herbs. Produce washes may not completely remove or kill bacteria, viruses and parasites. Washing fresh herbs gently under fresh, cool running water is at least as effective as using cleansers.

Foodborne Illness and Symptoms

Foodborne illness or food poisoning happens when a person gets sick from eating foods that are contaminated with microorganisms like bacteria, parasites or viruses. Some microorganisms that are most commonly found in fresh herbs are Cyclospora and E. coli.

The most common symptoms of foodborne illness include:

• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Fever

It is estimated that there are approximately 11 million cases of food-related illnesses in Canada every year. Many of these illnesses could be prevented by following proper food handling and preparation techniques.

What is the Government of Canada doing about the safety of fresh produce?

The Government of Canada and industry work together to help identify best practices that can be used to help prevent contamination of fresh produce throughout the food system, from the field to the store. In addition, inspection and enforcement activities conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency work to ensure that steps taken by producers, manufacturers and importers have been effective and that the foods available to Canadians are safe.

Additional food safety information can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ,  Be Food Safe and Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education Web sites.