Fruit salads are ready-to-eat mixes of cut fresh fruit, sold chilled in retail packs or served in catering. Preparation involves peeling, trimming and cutting whole fruit into uniform pieces, often with an antibrowning dip of ascorbic or citric acid to hold colour. Their cut surfaces and high water activity make them vulnerable to microbial growth, so safety depends on hygienic peeling and cutting, potable wash water, strict cold-chain control and short shelf life. Processing areas are designed to limit cross-contamination, with Listeria monocytogenes a particular concern in wet chilled environments. Labels carry use-by dates, storage instructions and, where used, the declaration of any preservative or acidulant.