Growing Green

By Robin Trott, Extension Educator

This year, many Minnesota gardens have experienced significant flooding damage, which can be harmful to produce. Flooding introduces chemical and microbial risks to produce, potentially causing human illness if consumed. Here’s what you need to know about produce safety after flooding.

Understanding Food Safety Risks

The FDA defines flooding as the uncontrolled flow or overflow of water onto fields, not just heavy rain, or pooling. Floodwater can introduce:

• Microbiological Pathogens: Bacteria, viruses, and parasites causing foodborne illness.

• Chemical Contaminants: Chemicals, heavy metals, and petroleum products.

These contaminants can’t be washed off and make the produce unsafe to eat. Under FDA regulations, such produce is considered contaminated.

Handling Flood-Affected Produce

If the edible parts of produce come into direct contact with floodwaters, they must be discarded. This includes root vegetables, squash and melons. For crops near flooded areas but not directly touched by floodwaters, assess the risks by asking:

• Did water splash onto the edible parts?

• How far above the water were they?

Floodwaters can contain elevated levels of pathogens and heavy metals, so when in doubt, discard the produce to avoid foodborne illness.

Additional Tips

• Well Safety: If the wellhead is submerged, test the well for generic E. coli to check for contamination.

• High-Water Markers: Place markers at high-water lines to identify areas where crops contacted floodwaters.

These steps help ensure the safety of your produce and protect consumers from potential illness.

For more information about food safety, visit the University of Minnesota Extension website at extension.umn.edu.

Until next time, happy gardening!

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“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.” ~Lewis Grizzard