Anonymous wrote:Microbiologist here. I do A. Food washing solutions are just a commercial gimmick, but yes, you do need to rinse your produce, and pass your (clean) fingers over them to mechanically get rid of debris and some microbes. The more fragile the produce (raspberries, mushrooms), the lighter your touch needs to be.

Not a microbiologist, but this is what I do.

I don't understand sanitizing food- but I'm not fancy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A. Of course. They are so dirty and may also have pesticides.

Just FYI, but you can't rinse off pesticides. Sorry.

https://npic.orst.edu/faq/fruitwash.html

No method is 100% effective. As a rule of thumb, washing with water reduces dirt, germs, and pesticide residues remaining on fresh fruit and vegetable surfaces. Washing and rubbing produce under running water is better than dunking it. Wash fruits and vegetables from the farmers' market, your home garden, and the grocery store.


Produce may have dirt, germs, and pesticide residues on them during the time it is grown until it's taken to your table. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) control the amount of pesticide residue allowed on foods to ensure food safety. Any pesticide residue on fruits and veggies must comply with the regulations. The residue limits set by EPA are known as tolerances. EPA works to ensure a 'reasonable certainty of no harm' to infants, children, and adults from eating small amounts of pesticides in food.

According to the FDA, eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is important for a healthy diet. All of the following options can reduce the risk of pesticide exposure.

Wash fruits and vegetables even if you do not plan to eat the skin.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables.
Hold the fruit or vegetable under flowing water in a strainer. This removes more pesticide than dunking the produce.
The FDA does not recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash. They have not been proven to be any more effective than water alone.

Scrub firm produce like melons and potatoes with a clean brush. Scrubbing firm fruits can help get more of the residues off.
Rub soft produce like grapes while holding them under running water to remove residues.
Put fragile fruits and vegetables like berries in a colander and turn it while gently spraying it with water.
Discard the outer leaves of leafy produce, like lettuce and cabbage.
Peel produce that can be peeled, like peaches or apples.
Heating can help get rid of residues, but you might be getting rid of nutrients, too.
There is no method of washing produce that is 100% effective for removing all pesticide residues.

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/OPMP-Pesticide-Tolerances-Factsheet.pdf
U.S. food safety monitoring programs consistently find that the vast majority of fresh, frozen,
and processed foods have safe levels of pesticide residues. In 2019, USDA’s Pesticide Data
Program (PDP) found that nearly 99% of sampled foods had residues below tolerances, and
42.5% had no detectable residues at all. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also has a
pesticide residue monitoring program. In 2018, FDA found that 97% of sampled foods produced
in the United States had residues below tolerances, and 47% had no detectable residues. Both
USDA and FDA collect samples for a wide variety of foods, including foods likely to be
consumed by children.

there is a wait time between applying any toxic chemical and when a crop can be harvested, depends on the chemical and the crop. Also other than using dessicants or defoliants to kill weeds or the tops of root crops for easier harvest, most of these chemicals would be used before a crop is mature anyway.

C

I put them in a colander and rinse with cold water. I thought this is what everyone did.

Anonymous wrote:A. Of course. They are so dirty and may also have pesticides.

Just FYI, but you can't rinse off pesticides. Sorry.

Those who do a vinegar soak, can you give proportions? How much vinegar to how much water? How long to soak? I assume this is better than just water so i want to learn!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Microbiologist here. I do A. Food washing solutions are just a commercial gimmick, but yes, you do need to rinse your produce, and pass your (clean) fingers over them to mechanically get rid of debris and some microbes. The more fragile the produce (raspberries, mushrooms), the lighter your touch needs to be.

Are you joking about mushrooms? Mushrooms are quite literally covered in dirt. It's not going to come off with a light touch of the fingers.

PP you replied to. Mushrooms get to relax in a bowl of water for a while, and then I pass my fingers over them under running water to dislodge last bits of earth before cooking. Gently, otherwise they fall apart.

Mushrooms should be wiped with the dry paper towels. Look it up people!

Most berries I just rinse. Strawberries, I soak in a bowl of water for a few minutes and then rinse. Try it and you will see why. A ton of dirt comes off. I’m sure it’s harmless but it icks me out

Who is making posts like this? PR for big berry?