According to science, this is the best way to wash fruit.

At this stage, we all must clearly understand the importance wash fruits and vegetables. However, sometimes questions arise about the best way to do this. Before cleaning them? After? With bleach? Just with water? In such cases, many questions usually arise.

Indeed, it all depends a lot on the fruit or vegetable in question. However, in general terms, there are only a few details to consider. He recently explained this in an article for Talk microbiologist at the University of Leicester Primrose Freestone.

While there are alternatives that are nearly equally effective, she says, sometimes the simplest option is the best. Simply wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water. Of course, taking into account some details. This is the most important thing you should know about it.

Wash your hands before washing fruits and vegetables.

Vegetables may be contaminated viruses, bacteria, fungi or pesticides so many during cultivation and processingeither during packaging or during preparation and storage. But we can also infect them at home. Therefore, before washing fruits and vegetables, we must wash our hands soap and water.

After that, the best way to wash vegetables, according to Freestone, is rubbing them with your hand under tap water. The only exception should be made for vegetables and fruits with hard skins, such as watermelon or pumpkin. In this case, instead of rubbing with your hands, it would be advisable to use brushWe must take our time to make sure it has been washed properly and there are no traces of dirt left on it.

Peeled or whole?

There are studies that show that pesticides They are concentrated mainly on the skin. fruits. Therefore, it is advisable to peel them. But we should take this with a grain of salt. And while this is absolutely true, it must also be taken into account that pesticide levels are measured before the vegetables reach the market, and certain limits should not be exceeded. So, although a large part is in the skin, it will not be an alarming amount.

Be that as it may, we should know that if we are going to peel the fruit, it is best to wash it first. And the thing is that otherwise, with the knife itself or with our hands, we can transfer dirt to the inside, even if it is protected by skin.

Are there other ways to wash fruit?

There are products designed to wash fruits and vegetables, and they are certainly effective. However, they are generally not necessary unless the vegetables are going to be eaten by people with weakened immune systems or pregnant people, who may be at much higher risk of some foodborne pathogens. One such product is amukina. But there are also homemade options, such as vinegar or baking soda.

While this is a traditional remedy that has been brought back to fame by social media, it has also been studied by science. Freestone explains in his article that these are effective methods. In the case of vinegar, you will have to mix half a glass of this liquid with half a glass of water and soak the vegetables in the resulting product, stirring them occasionally for 2-3 minutes. After that, they should be rinsed with cold water for another minute.

For baking soda, this will be enough. one teaspoon per glass of water. The vegetables will have to be soaked and mixed again, but this time for 15 minutes. Then rinse again.

Rinsing is very important because if any residue is left, it can affect the taste or texture of the fruit. In any case, there are studies that show that washing fruits and vegetables this way is effective, but there is practically no difference from washing them with water alone. It is not worth wasting time on.

take your time

If we are going to wash ourselves leafy vegetablesAs with lettuce, it is important to separate the leaves and wash them little by little to avoid leaving dirt inside. Small fruits, although it is not necessary to wash them one by one, should be ensured that they all reach sufficient water.

And of course we shouldn’t do this in advance. Moisture can promote the growth of pathogens. Therefore, fruits and vegetables should be washed before consumption. In fact, if there is moisture on them, it is recommended to remove it with absorbent paper before storing. This way, we can enjoy them longer.

In short, there are no magic tricks. You can wash fruits and vegetables only with water. But do not rush.