All fruits and vegetables should be washed no matter how inedible their
skins or rinds are. According to the American Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), millions of people get sick due to contaminated food each year.
Therefore,
washing produce properly can help remove harmful germs or bacteria and prevent
food-borne illness. However, you should always remember to wash your hands with
soapy water before and after preparing fresh produce. Most produce can be rinsed
under cold running water without need to use soaps or detergents and produce
that is firm or thick-skinned needs to be gently scrubbed with a brush to
remove hard-to-eliminate microbes. Once you have your produce washed, make sure
to dry it with a clean towel or paper towel so that your produce is not
re-introduced to germs. Below is a quick guide to wash your produce.
Broccoli and Cauliflower
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| saladmaster.com |
Broccoli and
cauliflower have a lot of crevice where germs or bacteria can hide. Soak these
two veggies in a bowl of cold water for at least two minutes before rinsing
them under cold running water.
Avocado
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| californiaavocado.com |
As an avocado
has inedible skin, you probably don’t think to wash its skin before cutting it.
However, that is the skin can harbor harmful germs and bacteria and can
contaminate the knife you use to cut. Make sure to rinse the skin and scrub it
gently with a brush before doing anything to the avocado.
Apples
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| vegkitchen.com |
The stems of
apples can trap bacteria and dirt, so make sure to trim both ends of them after
rinsing them under cold running water with a brush.
Hot peppers
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| growhotpeppers.com |
It is
advisable for you to wear gloves when handling hot peppers, even when you’re
washing them because the natural oils of those peppers can burn your skin and
eyes.
Mushrooms
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| lifestylefood.com |
An amazing
fact is that no water is needed to clean mushrooms- you just need a dry brush
to sweep away microbes and dirt. If your mushrooms come in a really dirty
condition, you can use a damp paper towel or give it a quick rinse under cold
running water. However, be sure not to get your mushrooms too wet as they act
as sponges and won’t taste good if they absorb too much water.
Fresh herbs
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| vegkitchen.com |
The best way
to remove germs and dirt hiding in their leaves is to dip them into a bowl of
cold water and swish them around gently and then pat the herbs dry with a clean
towel or paper towel.
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