How To Wash Your Produce The Right Way To Remove Dirt and Pesticides

Why wash fruits and vegetables, you might ask? Produce can harbor hidden health hazards like pesticides, waxes, heavy metals, bacteria, and microplastics. In this post, we'll go over the right way to wash your produce to get rid of contaminants while preserving their vital nutrients. 

Beyond carrying pesticides, fruits and vegetables can harbor dangerous bacteria like salmonella, e-coli, and listeria. The best way to minimize your exposure to pesticides is by thoroughly washing your fruits and veggies.

Quick Summary:

• Produce can contain hidden contaminants like pesticides, waxes, bacteria, and heavy metals that may negatively impact your health. Thoroughly washing fruits and veggies helps remove these.
• The proper way to wash produce includes using natural soaks like vinegar or baking soda, scrubbing firm produce with a brush, and gently soaking more delicate items.
• After washing, it's important to completely dry your produce before storage to prevent microbial growth. 

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Why Wash Fruits and Vegetables?

Remove Pesticide Residues Potentially Harmful To Your Health

While there is still a lot of research to do on the effects of long-term exposure to commercially used pesticides, current research shows that consuming produce high in pesticide residue increases the incidence of several adverse health risks, including hormonal disruption, reproductive problems, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

The Potential Connection Between Pesticides and Neurodegenerative Diseases

A number of studies have found an association between pesticide exposure and an increased risk of Parkinson's Disease. This includes both occupational exposure, such as that experienced by farm workers, as well as exposure at lower levels.

Certain chemicals found in agricultural pesticides, including organochlorine insecticides and herbicides like paraquat, have been specifically linked to higher rates of Parkinson's.

The evidence linking pesticide exposure to Alzheimer's disease is less consistent. However, some research has suggested that long-term exposure to certain pesticides can increase the risk of Alzheimer's, by contributing to the buildup of amyloid-beta plaques or tau tangles, a characteristic features of the disea

Wash Away Dangerous Bacteria, Pathogens, Heavy Metals, and Microplastics

Fresh produce can be contaminated with bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes. These pathogens can originate from contaminated soil and water or during handling and processing after they've been picked. If you eat contaminated food with these harmful pathogens, you are at risk for foodborne illnesses and food poisoning.

In some areas, soil and water that is contaminated with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, or arsenic can lead to accumulation in fruits and vegetables as they grow. Long-term exposure to these heavy metals can have health impacts, including kidney damage and developmental issues in children.

There is also emerging research on microplastics found in agricultural soil, potentially from plastic mulch and other sources, which may find their way into our food sources, although the health implications are not yet fully understood.

Of course, you can't remove fresh produce from your diet. They are our main source of essential nutrients and minerals, so it is important to seek out ways to minimize your exposure to these pesticides and bacteria that can damage your health.

Minimize Exposure Through Proper Washing and Organic Produce

As a precaution, food safety experts always recommend thoroughly washing produce and purchasing organic produce when you can to minimize your exposure to pesticides.

The Basics of Washing Produce

When to Wash Your Fruits and Vegetables

It's generally recommended not to wash fruits and vegetables immediately when you bring them home from the grocery store unless you plan to use them right away. Here's why:

1. Moisture Promotes Bacterial Growth: Washing produce before storing can leave excess moisture on the fruits and vegetables, which can promote the growth of bacteria and mold. This can lead to quicker spoilage.
2. Prolonged Freshness: Produce tends to last longer when stored properly in a dry state. Many fruits and vegetables have their own natural protective coatings that help keep them fresher longer
3. Damage and Bruising: Washing can sometimes bruise or damage produce if not done gently, which can hasten your produce going bad.

However, There Are Exceptions

• Pre-washed Items: Items that are pre-washed and labeled as ready-to-eat can be stored without additional washing.
• Certain Produce: Some vegetables, like leafy greens, may benefit from being washed before storage if they are dried and stored properly afterward because dirt and harmful bacteria can be more prevalent in the crevices.
• Convenience: Washing produce right before consumption can sometimes be inconvenient, especially if you have a busy schedule. In such cases, washing everything at once, drying it thoroughly, and then storing it properly might be the best way to go if it will incentivize you to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Washing Organic vs. Non-Organic Produce

Regardless of the type, both non-organic and organic produce should be washed before handling to avoid cross-contamination from dirty hands or raw meat.

Organic produce, while grown without synthetic pesticides, may still carry organic-approved pesticides and natural contaminants like soil or bacteria from organic fertilizers.

Non-organic produce may have synthetic pesticide residues and often comes with wax coatings that can trap pesticides and dirt.

All produce should be washed under running water, with a brush for firm-skinned items, and delicate items like berries should be rinsed gently.

How To Wash Your Produce The Right Way

1) Start With a Clean Slate

• Wash your hands and thoroughly and dry them with a clean paper towel or cloth
• Sanitize your sink with a food-safe multipurpose cleaner, including the drain

Create A Natural Soaking Solution

Use a vinegar, baking soda, or salt soak as a simple and natural way to help dissolve pesticide residues and waxes that are not water-soluble, as well as potentially killing bacteria and viruses.

Vinegar Soak

• Research has indicated that a vinegar solution can reduce bacterial contamination.
• Mix one part white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with three parts water. For a sink full of water, about 1 cup of vinegar should suffice.

Baking Soda Soak 

• A study by the University of Massachusetts, published in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry" in 2017, found that a baking soda solution was effective at removing certain pesticide residues on apples better than either tap water alone or a bleach solution commonly used for this purpose.
• For a baking soda soak, the recommended amount is about 1-2 teaspoons of baking soda per gallon of water.

Salt Soak

• You can also use salt water to clean your produce. Salt water has been traditionally used to wash fruits and vegetables, and its effectiveness is attributed to its ability to dislodge residues and potentially kill or inhibit some bacteria.
• A common ratio is 1-2 tablespoons of salt per gallon of water.

*Do note that while these natural solutions can reduce the presence of pesticides and microbes, they may not remove all types of contaminants. The effectiveness of these soaks can depend on the type of residue, the concentration of the washing solution, and the duration of soaking.

It's Important To Give Your Produce Time to Soak

Most fruits and vegetables available in grocery stores are coated in wax to help preserve their shelf life. Often, just a surface-level rinse is not enough to cut through this layer of wax. This wax covering can also conceal pesticide residues beneath them, so it is important you are cutting through the wax to reach the pesticides.

Wash In Batches To Be Sure Your Produce Is Fully Submerged

For any of these methods, it is essential that all of your produce is completely submerged and that you have a sufficient volume of the cleaning solution to cover your produce thoroughly. Washing your produce in batches will ensure plenty of space for each item to soak. 

It can be helpful to cover your soaking produce with a cookie sheet weighted with some water to ensure all of your produce is submerged. 

•  Start by taking a stiff brush and scrubbing in a sink of cool water
• Rise away debris with a steady stream of water
• Once all dirt and debris have been removed soak for 15 minutes
• Drain and then rinse produce with cold water

• Leaves should be separated by hand, gently pulling them from the stalk so that each leaf can be washed individually
• Place leaves in a sink of cold water with produce wash and swish to make sure all debris has been removed
• Let soak in produce wash for 15 minutes
• Drain your leafy greens, and then rinse with cold water
• If the water is very dirty, you may need to wash and rinse several times until the water runs clean

Drying and Storage Tips For Fresh Produce

Be sure you are thoroughly drying your produce after washing. Beyond just letting produce air dry, you want to take the extra step of patting it dry with a towel. Making sure your produce is dry before storing it will make sure it stays fresh as long as possible.

• Use a Salad Spinner For Leafy Greens and Herbs- a salad spinner is the most effective tool for drying. It removes the water without bruising the leaves.
• Use a Clean Cloth Or Clean Paper Towel To Pat Produce Dry- To dry fruit and vegetables, gently pat with a clean towel to absorb excess moisture. Make sure the towel is a clean one. Using any old towel hanging out in your kitchen risks contamination of your produce.
• Avoid Excessive Handling- The more you handle the produce after washing, the greater the risk of contamination. Touch the produce as little as possible during the drying process.
• Refrigerate Promptly- Most washed produce should be stored in the refrigerator to maintain freshness and slow down the growth of bacteria.
• Separate Ethylene-Producing from Ethylene-Sensitive Produce- Ethylene gas can cause certain fruits and vegetables to ripen and spoil faster. Keep ethylene-producing items like apples and bananas away from ethylene-sensitive items like leafy greens.

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is vital for good health, but it's equally important that we wash produce properly before eating. As we've learned, fresh produce can harbor hidden health hazards like pesticides, waxes, heavy metals, bacteria, and microplastics.

While research is still ongoing into the potential health consequences of long-term exposure to these contaminants, it's wise to take precautions. Give your fruits and veggies a good scrub, soak them in natural cleaning solutions like vinegar or baking soda, and be sure to dry them thoroughly before storage.

Washing produce takes just a few extra minutes but can provide peace of mind that you're taking care of your long-term health. Beyond just rinsing, take the extra steps to really get your produce clean. Making this a habit will help ensure you and your family get the full nutritional benefits, without the unhealthy extras, from the fresh produce you eat.

What are your best tips for getting pesticides, waxes, and bacteria off your produce? Share your thoughts in the comments to help other readers clean their fruits and veggies the right way!

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