"The food may be of poorer quality to begin with; then it may be transported to the stores and not be refrigerated properly," she said. "Large supermarkets have entire units focused on food safety, refrigeration, sanitation. While a small facility with only one or two people may not have the resources."

Although the bacteria that can cause spoilage are not the same bacteria that are dangerous from a standpoint of food-borne illness, consumers can take some important steps to ensure they get the freshest produce.

"One thing consumers can look for is that fresh-cut produce be refrigerated at the point of sale," said Shelley Feist, executive director of Partnership for Food Safety Education. "When they get fresh produce home, it's important to clean it thoroughly. Whole fresh produce should be rinsed under running tap water just before eating and produce should be kept separate from meat, poultry, raw eggs and fish to avoid cross-contamination."

SOURCE American Journal of Preventive Medicine