Here’s why you need to start washing your avocados, according to the FDA

If you don't wash the outside of your avocados before cutting into them, you should start, according to a new report. 

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released a report advising the public to thoroughly wash them to prevent possible contamination.

After examining 361 domestic and imported avocado skins during a 2014-2016 study, federal investigators found Listeria monocytogenes on the peels of about one in every five avocados. More than 17 percent of the batch tested posted for it.

The researchers also looked for listeria and and salmonella inside 1,615 avocados since the bacteria can be transferred by any knife used to cut into it. Luckily, less than 1 percent tested positive for both.

However, the FDA said rinsing off the fruit and drying it thoroughly before cutting and scooping out the goods can help lower your risk of contracting a foodborne illness.

Symptoms of listeria and salmonella both include high fever, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and both can lead to death.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1,600 people in the United States get listeriosis each year and approximately 260 die. CDC also estimates salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses and 450 deaths.

Want to learn more about the findings? Take a look at the full assessment here. 

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