How do you wash your produce?

[papayahead]

I know we all heard about the pesticide residue on vegetables and fruits... how do you usually wash them to minimize the problem?

I guess this topic has been brought up before... I'd appreciate any pointers...

Thank you!

[Halcyon8]

Soak for 15 minutes. Then drain and fill sink with plain water and soak for 5 minutes. Then drain and you can put them to dry on a towel on the counter and go about your business till they dry, if you don't want to dry them by hand.

It used to be that a similar soak using Clorox (about 1 T Clorox - no other kind of bleach) in a sink full of water and produce was amazingly successful. This was derived by dear Hazel Parcells. Sommer Frey Labs in Milwaukee tested the process and it removed 88% of pesticides. I used that process for 30 years. Unfortunately, Clorox discontinued making pure, simple, clean bleach without additives or fragrances. So I had to discontinue the process. I don't have numbers on the vinegar process but it was recommended to me by the one health care professional that I trust more than any other on the planet.

My best to you,

BG

[colonyofcells]

Washing with water works ok. I usually dip vegetables in a big bowl of water to wash them.

[docscience]

I run fruit under the hot water tap, briefly, then dry off with a towel, just to help wash off fruit fly eggs to reduce fruit fly populations.

[colonyofcells]

I just bought 10 lbs of red potato from costco. For potato, I have a potato brush (one end has a pointed blemish remover). I just wash them with water and I don't remove the potato skin.

[papayahead]

thank you all for the ideas!

I usually just rinse them under water briefly... I don't even dry them... then I read some article saying every bite of your fruit is mouthful of chemicals... that did scare me a little...

[colonyofcells]

There's no need to buy bottles of produce wash and water works just fine.

[healthyvegan]

veggie wash all the way. potato scrubbers. 6 hands tough each veg from farm to fork. soap is amazing at removing bacteria!

[working at it]

Here is a recommendation from Dr. Greger: salt water
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-to- ... able-wash/

[healthyvegan]

the salt water is a mess. leaves salt film on everything in/around the sink. Soap is awesome. all soap is anti bacterial. veggie wash for the win!

[dailycarbs]

Stuff that can be rubbed by hand like apples, I wash under the faucet using hands to rub. Softer and loose stuff like grapes and strawberries, I rinse in container or plastic pouch they came in using sprayer (containers and plastic pouches usually have holes for water to drain). Rough stuff like potatoes, I scrub with brush while they soak in water and rinse afterwards. I don't use soap or anything else added to water.

Iirc, I read somewhere that the method that produced best results was running water and rubbing by hand but I can't recall where. Maybe Jeff?

As far pesticides, I'm not sure we can be sure how well we remove it or what amounts will harm us in the long run. I choose not to worry for lack of a better option. Obviously, for those who can afford organic that's a good option but I'm not one of the lucky few. As for "bacteria," let's see: I'm 57 years old and have been eating fresh produce my whole life. As far as I know, not once have I gotten sick from produce I've bought myself and eaten. So I'd be worried about bacteria, why? My plan for survival is to stay out of school in order to avoid the next gun-crazed madman and not worry about bacteria on apples.

[healthyvegan]

my mother-in-law spent a month in icu for unwashed lettuce = ecoli. the trouble is no bathrooms or handwashes for the migrant workers, transporting chickens & apples in the same truck, farm waste run off, manure fertilizer splashing up during watering, grocer unpacking chicken & then fruit w/o washing hands, unwashed grocery carts & grocery belts & check out... my own garden, sure no prob!

[dailycarbs]

my mother-in-law spent a month in icu for unwashed lettuce = ecoli. the trouble is no bathrooms or handwashes for the migrant workers, transporting chickens & apples in the same truck, farm waste run off, manure fertilizer splashing up during watering, grocer unpacking chicken & then fruit w/o washing hands, unwashed grocery carts & grocery belts & check out... my own garden, sure no prob!

This stuff all gets super washed before shipping. Have you ever seen what they do to apples before they get to you.
http://youtu.be/YAUeQHghUUs

Sure, in my kitchen, a head of lettuce with dirt on it gets well washed but a lot of the bagged stuff? No way any germ is surviving what they do to that. The biggest risk is your own kitchen. Does your m-I-l eat chicken, meat and eggs? Maybe that was the cause?

Also, I'm cheap when it comes to soaps and cleaning products. I think the anti-bacterial stuff does more harm than good. We could do something good for the environment by cutting back on those, cutting back on laundry (I use a drop of laundry detergent and do the lightest duty setting and everything comes better than fine). Bonus! Exposing yourself to germs boosts your immune system. I know it works for me.

[colonyofcells]

India office mate was here for 3 weeks and left me some gold potato (not organic) from safeway. I submerged them in my old costco fit organic produce wash. Used the pointed end of my potato brush to get rid of the tiny sprouts at one end of the potato. The potato is alive !

[healthyvegan]

She was part of a large outbreak linked to the lettuce. 30+ people were sickened & had kidney failure, etc. Like I said, despite how well you might think they are washed from one farm or distributor, that still leaves the guy unpacking them & stacking the shelves, the person who just changed a baby diaper and then squeezed 10 apples before finding the right one, and the lovely check out aisle & grocery cart the person before you who had meat juices leaking out all over it. Veggie wash might not be essential 99% of the time, but for the 1% it is you'll be glad you used it!