How do you wash your fruits and vegetables before eating them? Do you soak them in water with white vinegar or baking soda? Do you clean them with dish soap before rinsing them? Do you simply brush them under running tap water?
Many “recipes” to get rid of pesticide residues on the skin of fruits and vegetables flourish on social networks. But according to Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, toxicologist and director of the Poison Control Center in Washington, DC (USA), there is no need to complicate life: “Running tap water is still the easiest and the safest way to eliminate germs and pesticides,” she explains. in the Huffington Post.
Especially no detergent or washing product
If adding a tablespoon of vinegar or baking soda, as our grandmothers did with vegetables from their vegetable garden, does not pose any health risk, the same does not apply to detergent products because their harmlessness has not been tested for this type of use.
Also, don’t soak your fruits and vegetables in a sink full of water. “This can actually lead to an increased spread of germs through the soaking water, causing a higher level of contamination,” insists Dr. Kelly Johnson-Arbor. Just rinse them gently under the tap.
We also take some precautions.
To remove pesticides and dirt, you can simply rinse the fruits and vegetables with water, but certain precautions are still necessary: .
- For leafy greens, separate the leaves and rinse individually, making sure all sides are thoroughly cleaned.
- For vegetables like melons or cauliflower, use a vegetable brush to remove any dirt.
- Always dry fruits and vegetables with a clean tea towel or paper towel before eating them.
- Even if you don’t plan to eat the skin, wash the fruit anyway to reduce the risk of transferring bacteria during peeling.