Steve’s Garden: These gardeners say the best way to keep your food safe — focus on homegrown

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Gardeners in Colorado are taking food safety into their own hands.

Vanessa Villalobos with Denver Urban Gardens say she keeps an eye on her food, especially when this past summer saw a number of foodborne illnesses break out nationwide. That includes a salmonella outbreak with jalapeños that saw over 100 Colorado residents get sick.

"I have a small child, so it is very important to think about those things," Villalobos said. "They impact, especially young people and older people a lot more."

Another local gardener says she feels safer knowing she's planted her own stuff.

"I know nothing goes on it," Rosie Niemeyer said. "I know nobody's messing with it. I know how I planted it. I know where the seeds and the plants came from."

The executive director of the Colorado Public Interest Research Group says to make sure to wash and cook food properly, and to sign up for grocery recall systems.

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