Tip: Wash what you eat

Your mother was right: Before you eat, wash up. Not just your hands, but your fruits and vegetables, too.

While many people link foodborne illnesses with undercooked meat, contaminated fresh produce is also responsible for disease outbreaks, especially in warmer months. Here are tips from the Food and Drug Administration to keep produce a healthy part of your diet.

Wash fruits and vegetables before you peel or cut them to avoid transferring germs from the knife back onto the produce.

Gently rub the produce while rinsing with tap water.

Use a paper towel to dry the produce to further reduce bacteria.

Use a brush to scrub firm produce such as cucumbers.

Cut away damaged or bruised areas and always discard the outer leaves of lettuce or cabbage.