Nearly 1 out of every 25 restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks with identified food sources between 1998 and 2008 can be traced back to contaminated salsa or guacamole, more than double the rate during the previous decade, according to research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention today at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

"Fresh salsa and guacamole, especially those served in retail food establishments, may be important vehicles of foodborne infection," says Magdalena Kendall, an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) researcher who collaborated on the CDC study. "Salsa and guacamole often contain diced raw produce including hot peppers, tomatoes and cilantro, each of which has been implicated in past outbreaks."

These outbreaks were not caused by commercially prepared products that you would buy in a grocery store. Fresh prepared salsa and guacamole were subject to inappropriate storage times or temperatures were reported in 30 percent of the SGA (salsa- or guacamole-associated) outbreaks in restaurants or delis and may have contributed to the outbreaks. Food workers were reported as the source of contamination in 20 percent of the restaurant outbreaks.

Follow the guidelines for safe preparation and storage of fresh guacamole to reduce contamination or pathogen growth:

• Before and after preparing food, wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap.
• Wash the ingredients thoroughly under running water. That includes ingredients that you plan to peel, such as avocados.
• Make sure that knives, cutting boards, containers, and other kitchen surfaces are clean.
• Keep the salsa or guacamole refrigerated until you serve it. Do not leave it out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, do not leave it out for more than 1 hour.

Sources: CDC, FoodSafety.gov