Should you always wash fruits and vegetables?

To minimize the risk of food poisoning, it is necessary to wash the products before consuming them, although a special soap is not necessary for these products.

Wash your hands before handling any product, then wash food under a cold tap. Five to ten seconds is usually sufficient, provided the entire surface of the product is covered.

Washing removes debris and dirt, as well as microbial contaminants they can contain. Washing also removes some of the surface pesticides that may be present, although the instructions are generally the same for organic products as for conventional products.

For vegetables, such as romaine lettuce, a good method is tear off the leaves and rinse them separately, then dry them in a vegetable centrifuge. Another strategy is to immerse the product in a container of water before washing it.

“None of our food is sterile; there are always microorganisms, but there are certain types which, if we eat them, we can get sick“says Erin DiCaprio, associate community food safety cooperative outreach specialist at the University of California. So laundering is one of the best practices to help mitigate some of that risk.”

In general, the US food supply is fairly secure, but food safety specialists keep an eye out for certain pathogens, bacteria and viruses, which have been associated with dangerous epidemics related to agricultural products.

The risk of getting sick

For example, E. coli O157: H7, a bacteria found in the intestines of cattle and other animals, also appears in leafy vegetables and, if ingested, can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Certain groups, such as the very young and the elderly, are particularly prone to developing severe symptoms and fatal kidney failure.

“We are seeing several outbreaks caused by viruses in products,” said DiCaprio. “So when we talk about foodborne viruses, it is mainly hepatitis A virus and norovirus. We see that these viruses cause several epidemics in berries, as these products are often harvested by hand. , so that we humans can cross-contaminate these berries during harvest. “

If you find dirt, sand, or chippings in your products – for example, in the grooves of a celery stick – you will definitely want to remove this material. But it is also important that remove dust and other small debris that you may not be able to see, but which may also contain harmful germs.

Early fears about possible transmission of the coronavirus in food have not been confirmed, although other viruses may be spread through the dirty hands of other customers.

Therefore, Wash any fruits or vegetables that you remove from product shelves or drawers, including leafy greens, whole fruits, and raw vegetables. According to DiCaprio, washing does not completely decontaminate a product, but it does eliminate between 90% and 99% of microorganisms. By ingesting fewer germs, you are less likely to get sick.

Vegetables or other products marked “prewash” on the packaging do not need to be rewashed. In fact, washing them could increase the risk of cross-contamination with other foods, such as raw meat, that you may prepare (a concern any time you wash food, so be sure to keep work surfaces clean).

Without shell too

It is important to wash the products, it doesn’t matter if you eat the skin (like apples) or peel them (like bananas, carrots, oranges or avocados). Wash them before peeling or cutting them. Use a clean brush to gently scrub the firm surfaces of items like melons, as this can also help remove debris.

DiCaprio does not recommend any special detergents, bleaches or detergents. “In fact, the consumption of residual levels of soap or other detergents it can have negative health effects, “he says.” It’s more of a marketing problem. Personally, I wouldn’t spend my money on these products because I know they are no more effective than plain water. “

Finally, some advice on the temperature. Although heat can inactivate microorganisms, hot water does not seem to be more efficient than Cold water in terms of food security. The level of heat required would probably be too hot to put your hands in water and could affect the quality of the products.

As for frozen products, it is not necessary to wash them before consuming them. However, it is important to follow the handling instructions on the included packaging.

Sophie Egan © New York Times

Translation: Patricia Sar