Why you really need to wash your produce before you cut or eat it

You definitely need to wash your produce before you eat it — but after you wash your hands.

Foodborne illness is a big deal, with 31 different bacteria, viruses and parasites that are known to cause about 9 million cases of food-related sickness each year and another 37 million illnesses that are probably linked to food, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . But while most people are aware that eating undercooked meat and fish can be highly dangerous, they don’t necessarily realize the fruits and vegetables that aren’t handled properly can make you sick as well.

Produce — including fruits, nuts and vegetables — account for almost half (46%) of those illnesses, according to the CDC. Many of those illnesses are caused by norovirus.

If you need a visual to understand the importance of washing produce, think of all the hands that touched those vegetables and fruits on their way to you. It’s a surprising number of hands. “With all of the people constantly bustling through these environments, It’s also safe to assume that much of the fresh produce you purchase has been coughed on, sneezed on and breathed on as well,” according to Healthline .

But you shouldn’t cut back on fruits and vegetables because they could pose a threat. Most people don’t eat enough produce. What you should do is wash it first to rid it of any bacteria, fungus, virus or pesticides.

Cold water best cleaner

Cold running water is a great tool for cleaning produce — and that favored by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration. Rub any direct or surface germs off and then give the produce a good rinse. If you decide to soak your produce, use a clean container. The sink could contain its own set of germs.

Primrose Freestone, an associated professor in clinical microbiology at the University of Leicester, wrote on CNN that you should never use bleach or detergent because it could get into the fruit past the skin. That could taste bad, but it could also be harmful.

Vinegar and baking soda are both fine to use, though some people say they can’t seem to get rid of the vinegar taste. The recipe for a vinegar wash is a half-cup of vinegar for each cup of water, soaking and stirring for a couple of minutes, then rinsing at least one minute longer. For baking soda, use 1 teaspoon of baking soda to each cup of cold water. Soak the fruits and vegetables in that solution for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then rinse well.

If you leave your produce in baking soda longer than that, it could break down the skins.

Pesticides may penetrate apple skin. So most experts suggest that you wash apples first, then rinse, then peel. But many of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables are found in the skin, and some types of produce simply can’t be peeled, Freestone said.

Healthline’s guide to washing produce agrees with that, noting that for most produce you can simply lightly scrub. But “for foods with more ridges or crevices,” the advice is to “swish them in a bowl of water” to clean them up.

The article offers advice based on types of produce:

• Firm produce like apples, lemons and pears, as well as root vegetables like carrots and turnips, can be brushed with a clear, soft bristle to remove residue.
• Leafy greens like lettuce or Brussel sprouts should have an outer layer removed, then be submerged in cool water, swished, drained and rinsed with new water.
• Delicate produce like raspberries or mushrooms need a “steady stream of water and gentle friction using your fingers” to clean them.

Dry them and the produce is ready to eat. One last note, though. If you are cutting something with tough skin, like watermelon, wash the melon first so you don’t drag the knife through germs and push it into the produce.