Fruit and vegetables at market stalls

Fruit and vegetables that are sold at markets in the Northern Territory must be in good condition and prepared and stored so that they are safe to eat.

Equipment you need to supply

If you are cutting fruit at a market, you must provide:

• chopping boards
• hand washing facilities with soap and paper towels
• knives
• sanitiser
• dipping containers
• flooring.

Handwashing

All premises where produce is prepared or sold must have a handwashing facility.

You should wash your hands every 30 minutes whilst preparing food, or each time any of the following happen:

• your hands become soiled
• you go to the toilet
• you touch your ears, nose, mouth or other parts of the body
• you touch other people
• you change the task you are doing
• you have a break
• you smoke
• you handle rubbish.

Clean and sanitise produce

You can make sure the produce you provide is clean and sanitised by:

• checking fruit and vegetables are free of surface soil and dust before they are sold or cut
• washing fruit and vegetables in plain water, not soapy water
• rinsing fruit and vegetables that have been sanitised
• peeling carrots and other root vegetables before use
• keeping all benches, surfaces and equipment that food touches clean and regularly sanitised during food preparation
• using commercial grade sanitiser or bleach
• taking special care with cleaning and sanitising when cutting up fruit and vegetables
• changing the water used for washing and food preparation often so that chemicals stay effective.

Clean juicers and blenders

You should make sure juicers and blenders used in food preparation are:

• thoroughly cleaned according to the manufacturers' instructions
• washed and sanitised often while food is being sold
• washed in water that is changed frequently.

Cleaning and sanitising should be done as separate processes by following these steps.

Step 1. Remove dirt and food by sweeping, scraping, wiping or rinsing with water.

Step 2. Wash with warm water and detergent. Soak if necessary.

Step 3. Rinse off detergent and any remaining food or dirt.

Step 4. Sanitise to eliminate and reduce micro-organisms to safe levels.

Step 5. Rinse off sanitiser (if necessary).

Step 6. Air dry or use a single use towel or clean tea towel.

Storing fruit and juices

If you store fruit or juices at a market, you must ensure that all of the following conditions are met:

• processed fruit is kept in clean food containers and stored at or below 5°C
• produce transported in eskies or coolers are packed in ice and kept below 5°C
• ice in containers is topped up as needed so that the temperature stays at or below 5°C
• you use a temperature probe to monitor the storage temperatures.

More information

For more information, contact Environmental Health. To get their contact details, go to the NT Health website.