Do we need to wash vegetables, vegetables and fruits before eating?

After buying fruits and vegetables, are you the type who eats immediately or the type who prefers to wash before consuming?

In recent years, a heightened awareness of germs has made many of us wary of cleaning fresh food — and there are now a number of sanitizing products on the market to help with that job.

But first, do we really need to wash any fruit or vegetables?

The answer is yes, according to food scientist Stuart Farrimond.

“The right thing to do is wash your fruits and vegetables because there can be a lot of harmful and dangerous pathogens, bacteria that can be harmful,” he told the BBC’s Mornings radio programme.

“You don’t know who handled it, you don’t know what bacteria and what germs are in the soil and even if it was washed before it got to the supermarket.”

Farrimond points out that it’s worth washing fruits and vegetables because there may be lingering pesticide residues on their surfaces.

“Some fruits like oranges and melons, for example, no matter what you do, there will still be pesticides inside them, which is kind of depressing. that’s inside you.”

“Things like grapes, strawberries, salad leaves are going to have some pesticide residue on the surface. And then [nestes casos] It’s worth washing because you’ll be able to get some out.”

Should you use soap?

With countless products on the market, is it worth investing in a little extra help to get rid of germs? According to Farrimond, no.

“Don’t use any kind of spray or any kind of soap… because that’s actually adding more chemicals to your fruits and vegetables,” he warns.

“The same way you wouldn’t want to use detergent on the apple, because when you eat it, it might taste a little bit of detergent.”

“You don’t need anything more than running water and rubbing the product.”

If the food is consumed raw, some institutions, such as the Ministry of Health, recommend immersing them in a basin that has a mixture of water and sodium hypochlorite for about 15 minutes. Then, simply wash in running water and dry before eating or storing in the pantry or refrigerator, depending on the food.

For each liter of water, a tablespoon of hypochlorite should be added, as the experts advise.

You can find this product for sale at street markets, supermarkets, pharmacies and hortifrutis. It is also available free of charge at some health centers.

This cleansing rite does not need to be strictly followed in vegetables that are peeled and cooked, such as potatoes and cassava. The fire itself will already eliminate potentially harmful microorganisms.

What if the product is pre-washed?

Fresh produce is often labeled “washed and ready to eat” – in these cases, do we really need to put them under the tap too?

“We probably should,” recommends Farrimond.

He notes that we cannot know if the washing was performed in a sterile environment or if the item was placed in water and handled again.

“If you want security, I would say wash it,” he adds.

“Ultimately, washing will help you, [embora] don’t eliminate all risk from everything.”

This text was originally published here.