Washing fruits and vegetables is a common thing we do, but the ongoing pandemic has made us think. The increasing awareness about pathogens and diseases has created seriousness towards this issue. Looking at the path our groceries, fruits, and vegetables take, passing through countless hands and bearing chemicals on their surfaces, one wonders, “Is water enough to clean our biological grub? Is?” Many people have resorted to soap and other cleansers to wash vegetables and fruits, leaving them vulnerable to food-borne illnesses. Not surprisingly, there are shocking statistics of people being hospitalized for this reason.
What is the correct way to clean fruits and vegetables?
Now that you have brought the food home, first wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. If you have to peel vegetables or fruits, wash them before doing so. This will prevent bacteria and other pathogens from sticking to your knife and being transferred when cutting or peeling the fruit. For this, gently scrub the fruits and vegetables with your hands under running water to remove grime from their surfaces. If necessary, you can also use a vegetable brush to remove dirt and chemicals from fruits like cucumbers, melons, mangoes, beans, etc.
Leafy vegetables like kale, cabbage, spinach etc. have particularly high levels of dirt on the leaves, so simple washing under running water will not suffice. Therefore, it is suggested that you soak them in water for at least 3-5 minutes. This enables it to loosen its grip on the surface, which can be washed efficiently and easily. And you can avoid getting soil in your mouth while eating them. After washing, dry the product with a clean towel or tissue to further remove pathogens from the supply.
Let’s see what experts and nutritionists have to say on the subject. Although fruits and vegetables are healthy in themselves, they still need to be cleaned due to exposure to toxins, fertilizers, or exposure to hands and animals. These reasons are certainly serious, as they can lead to many food-borne illnesses among us. Doctors clear up this confusion, giving us clean techniques for making produce delicious and safe.
wash with vinegar water
To prepare this disinfectant solution, you just need a spray bottle, and fill it with 90% water and 10% vinegar. Now wash your vegetables and fruits with this mixture. There has been research and trials to test the efficacy of this method. And it stands firm and proud, destroying most germs and pathogens. Dr. Mike adds that even if your produce is from an organic farm, it should still be disinfected with a vinegar solution. Since organic farms are generally close to inorganic ones, water from these farms, which contains traces of chemicals, can enter the former.
baking soda wash
This is another technique you can adopt to disinfect your produce. Add one teaspoon of baking soda to the water used to wash fruits and vegetables. Now soak the fruits and vegetables in this liquid for 10-12 minutes, and wash them by scrubbing under running water. Hard surface staples or root vegetables can also be scraped up with a vegetable brush. Dry fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them.
washing delicate fruits
Fruits like berries are extremely fragile and don’t stand up to a hard hit of a vegetable brush to dislodge dirt. In this case, all you have to do is let a soft spray of the tap continuously run on it. Never dare to soak them in water as this can have an undesirable effect on their texture and taste. Since berries can absorb water like a sponge, remove the stems before washing them.
Since this will create another space for the water to fill into the berries. Don’t try to scrape these delicate fruits, remember you want to eat the berries, not their juice. Another thing to note is that you should not wait to wash your fruits and vegetables before they are ready to eat. Eat them as soon as possible because washing them creates a moist environment that becomes home to many pathogenic agents.
This is especially the case with vegetables and fruits which absorb a lot of water. Therefore, avoid washing the produce immediately after bringing it home, rather do it when you are ready to eat it. If you prefer to wash them, be sure to dry them thoroughly, before placing the items in the refrigerator.
Do you need special soap to wash fruits and vegetables?
The market takes advantage of the fear of the common people, and hence they have again taken advantage by launching veggie wash and soap in the market. Even innocent people get deceived by their claims and take this stuff home. However, this does nothing more than remove one type of chemical from the surface of the product and coat it with another chemical. Experts say that water is enough to remove 90-95% of germs and germs, and soaps are extremely unnecessary. The small or no amount of germs that are still resting on the fruit pose no threat to health unless a person has certain immune problems. Otherwise, our body is smart enough to combat some of the unsavory germs that we may consume unknowingly.
Side effects of washing fruits and vegetables with soap
Many nervous people have started using dish soap to wash the produce, without realizing its deleterious consequences on health. Dish soaps are for utensils, not fruits. Even if you wash off the soap after cleaning the item, there may be residues present on the surface, which are visible to us. And hence, consuming such grubs may cause gastrointestinal problems, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea and cramps. You don’t need to worry too much about buying soap and wash to lather up the products, rather cold water is enough to get rid of 90-99% of the harmful agents. Additionally, items in the grocery store are kept below 19 degrees, which is optimal for keeping antigens out.
conclusion
In this article, we discussed the need to wash vegetables and fruits. Before fruits and vegetables reach our hands, they are touched by many people, and further they have a coat of fertilizers and chemicals on them. Although water is enough to wash away germs, if you want to make it more effective, you can wash items with vinegar or baking soda. But for this, stay away from soap and wash it with plain, cold water only.