Washing fruit won’t completely remove pesticides, so this is what you have to do

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If you rinse your fruits and vegetables thoroughly because you’re worried about ingesting pesticides, you won’t like the conclusion of a recently published study. It appears that washing fruit and vegetables is not enough to remove pesticides. Some will still remain on the surface, and the only way to completely get rid of them might be to peel them.

A team of Chinese researchers published a paper in the American Chemical Society’s Nano Letters journal detailing experiments that prove pesticides might linger on foods even after washing them.

Dongdong Ye’s team devised a process to help them trace pesticides on fruits and vegetables. That was the aim of the study. The Guardian notes that the researchers actually discovered that washing fruit is ineffective at completely removing pesticides.

The technique involves using a “Nanowrinkled Cellulose Membranes with Silver Nanoparticle” (NWCM-Ag) layer to detect the presence of pesticides on fruit and vegetables. For the experiment, they looked at apples and discovered that traditional “fruit-cleaning operations cannot wholly remove pesticides.”

The researchers used imaging techniques with the NWCM-Ag layer to conclude that pesticides can penetrate the peel layer and move into the pulp layer. They found that removing the apple peel was the only thing that helped diminish pesticide contamination.

“This study, situated within the expansive realm of food safety, endeavors to furnish health guidance to consumers,” Ye said in a statement. “Rather than fostering undue apprehension, the research posits that peeling can effectively eliminate nearly all pesticide residues, contrasted with the frequently recommended practice of washing.”

The study seems to reinforce findings from Consumer Reports. In May, the publication said 20% of 59 different fruit and vegetable categories had pesticide residues that pose “significant risks.” Consumer Reports analyzed data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The Guardian points out that other studies detail the health risks associated with pesticides, but most look at occupational exposure. The USDA and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say that food pesticides are not a concern if they fall within legal limits.

A recent USDA report shows that 99% of tested foods had pesticides within legal limits. However, Consumer Reports says governmental agencies’ limits are too high.

Legal limits aside, it sure looks like you can’t eliminate pesticides completely by washing fruit and vegetables. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide whether to peel or eat them as they are after washing them.

The full study is available at this link.