Pumpkin Patch Season! Safety Tips to Avoid Salmonella
The FDA says fresh produce, including pumpkins, can become contaminated with the harmful bacteria through contact with soil, water, and during handling.
In 2025, CBS News reported on a baby in Texas who ended up with salmonella after pumpkin activity at day care. That same summer, a salmonella outbreak linked to pumpkin seeds infected 81 people in France, hospitalizing six.
What can you do to ensure loves are kept safe while enjoying fall pumpkin traditions?
wash the outside of pumpkins before cutting into them
wash hands before and after handling them
sanitize any surfaces or utensils they touch.
Bacteria on raw foods of animal origin do not have to cause illness. The key to preventing illness at home, in a restaurant, at a church picnic, or anywhere else is to prevent the bacteria from growing to high levels and to destroy the bacteria through cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature.
Follow these guidelines for safe food preparation year-round:
CLEAN: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often
Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets.
Wash utensils, cutting boards, dishes, and countertops with hot soapy water after preparing each food item and before you go on to the next item.
Consider using paper towels to clean kitchen surfaces. If you use cloth towels, wash them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine.
SEPARATE: Don't Cross-contaminate
Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from other foods in your grocery shopping cart and in your refrigerator.
If possible, use one cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Always wash cutting boards, dishes, countertops, and utensils with hot soapy water after they come in contact with raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
Never place cooked food on a plate that previously held raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
COOK: Cook to Safe Temperatures
Use a clean food thermometer when measuring the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods to make sure they have reached a safe minimum internal temperature:
Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
Cook all poultry to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
Stuffed poultry is not recommended. Cook stuffing separately to 165 degrees F.
Egg dishes, casseroles to 160 degrees F.
Fish should reach 145 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer.
Bring sauces, soups, and gravy to a boil when reheating.
Reheat other leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 degrees F.
CHILL: Refrigerate Promptly
Keep food safe at home, refrigerate promptly and properly. Refrigerate or freeze perishables, prepared foods, and leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees F).
Freezers should register 0 degrees F or below and refrigerators 40 degrees F or below.
Thaw food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Foods should not be thawed at room temperature. Foods thawed in the microwave or in cold water must be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature immediately after thawing.
Marinate foods in the refrigerator.
Divide large amounts of leftovers into shallow containers for quick cooling in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your time visit your local farm markets and pumpkin patches this fall, while keeping your loved ones safe from Salmonella.
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