Animal waste tainting fresh produce is one of the major causes of food-borne ailments. So farmers markets and pick-your-own growers who fear faecal contamination are increasingly guarded about tolerating pets near their edibles.
Home gardeners should be cautious, too.
Many of the pathogens affecting food safety come from the intestinal systems of animals, said Diane Wright Hirsch, senior education educator with the University of Connecticut.
“Whether human, dog, cat, cow or deer — all animals can be the source of Salmonella, E. coli, parasites and other disease-causing microbes associated with food-borne illness,” Hirsch said.
FoodWorld 