Fruits and vegetables are the nutritional components of our everyday diet. Can they be harmful? The answer to this question is a huge yes if they are not properly washed. The chemicals used to keep various insects from the produce could trigger several diseases in you and your family. The use of pesticides in foods and vegetables makes it essential to clean them before usage. Cleaning fruits and vegetables are essentially can get rid of any harmful pathogen, pesticide or wax etc.
To make food safe for everyone, you require fruit and vegetable wash to clean it thoroughly. Just using water for cleaning your fruits and veggies is not enough. The dirt and germs present on the surface can also be removed entirely with the help of a cleansing agent.
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Features of the fruit and vegetable wash:
The fruit wash that you use in your kitchen should have the following characteristics-
- It should have a balanced pH that does not affect your food in any way.
- It should be effective in removing germs, dirt, grease and wax from your fruits and vegetables.
- It has to be natural without any chemical, alcohol, or soap used as an ingredient.
- It should leave behind no smell or residual effect.
- The wash should not have an aftertaste that could alter the taste of your food.
Additional tips:
Here are all the things to keep in mind before you start washing your fruits and vegetables:
- Always wash your hands twenty minutes before washing fruits and vegetables.
- When you get the products from the market, get them out of their bags immediately and throw away the bags.
- Have an area dedicated to washing and sanitize it.
- Use only fruit wash liquid for the cleaning. Never use any bleach, hand soap or any other generic product for cleaning the products.
Two methods that help clean fruits and vegetables include:
The soaking method
The most common way of washing fruits and vegetables is by using the soaking method. It works for softer products as well as leafy vegetables. You can use the soaking method for cleaning things like strawberries, broccoli, spinach, grapes, cabbage etc.
Here are all the steps that you need to follow for cleaning your fruits and vegetables using the soaking method:
- Begin by cleaning the sink and then washing your hands. Proper sanitization of everything coming in contact with the products is crucial.
- Fill the sink with clean water and add the liquid wash in it. Keep the ratio 1:30 for fruit wash to water.
- Dip the fruits and vegetables in this solution for a few minutes.
- Rinse the produce with cold water and use your hands to rub it clean.
- Let the fruits and vegetables air dry before using.
The soaking method is quite easy and quick. All your produce can be cleaned together, and you are free of all the harmful germs and pesticides.
Spray method
An alternate way of removing any dirt and pesticides from fruits and vegetables is the spray method. Use this method to clean firm and harder products such as apples, oranges, cucumbers, lemons etc.
The steps that one must follow in cleaning produce using the spray method are:
- Properly sanitize the sink and any other area in contact. Wash your hands.
- Prepare a solution in a spray bottle by adding some fruit wash in water.
- Mist the fruits and vegetables using this spray.
- Let it sit for a few minutes.
- Wash the solution off with clean water while rubbing with your hands.
- Air-dry the products.
Following all these steps will ascertain that your fruits and vegetables are safe to use in the kitchen. Some people also use vinegar as an alternative to fruit wash, but you should stick to the commercial wash as it is more convenient and produces more effective cleaning.
Using a fruit wash liquid ensures that the food you cook does not carry any harmful germs or could potentially give rise to any food-borne disease. You can also be assured about serving the fruits and vegetables raw once they are properly cleaned.