How To Clean Your Produce Properly
If you want to eat healthy, organic food, it's important to do more than just buy organic. How you clean your produce is very important as well. Even your organic produce has still passed through many hands, containers, and locations before it gets to your home.
Why is it important to clean your produce properly?
Health officials say that nearly 48 million people become sick from germs on contaminated food. Most people know to take care when handling animal products, however, produce can be hiding bacteria and micro-organisms that can lead to foodborne illnesses. Spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and lettuce were part of recent large-scale outbreaks of foodborne illness.
To prevent illness caused by contaminated produce, follow these tips to clean your produce properly:
1. Wash your hands with warm water and soap before cleaning your produce. Your skin has bacteria and dirt on it, you don't want to add them to the produce you're trying to clean. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before cleaning your produce.
2. Wash all items under cold running water. If you want extra protection or prefer not to use tap water, a mixture of vinegar and water can be used instead (one part vinegar per two parts water). Make sure the solution covers all areas of your produce – especially areas where dirt collects.
3. Remove bruised or damaged areas. Damaged or bruised areas on produce create a breeding ground for bacteria and contaminants. Cut away the damaged area or discard the produce if the affected area is too large.
Be sure to compost your cuttings rather than throw them in the trash. No need to waste!
4. Rinse before you peel or cut your produce. Dirt and bacteria can be transferred to your knife and other utensils when used on dirty produce.
5. Rub your produce while rinsing with COLD water. You can also soak produce in a solution of one part vinegar and two parts water to help with disinfection. I prefer to use a non-toxic fruit and veggie wash!
6. Use a vegetable brush to clean hard produce. Produce like watermelons and potatoes have thick skin that can hold dirt easily, a vegetable brush can help. Make sure your vegetable brush is clean before each use.
7. Use a paper towel or clean cloth to dry your produce. After going through the trouble of cleaning your produce, be sure not to set them on your countertops or that dingy dish towel.
If you are using a machine to wash your produce, make sure to use the proper setting. For certain items, it may even be recommended that you do not put them in your dishwasher at all. Use vinegar in place of dishwashing detergent if you decide to go this route because the detergent is not meant to be used on produce.
Produce labels often include specific instructions on how to properly wash the item before it's eaten. Some produce items are more delicate than others, so be sure to follow proper washing instructions specific to the produce you're cleaning.
