How To Properly Wash And Disinfect Vegetables And Fruits?
Regularly including vegetables and fruits in the diet is one of the first recommendations made by health and nutrition experts. These foods provide us with various nutrients, capable of benefiting the body in various ways and also keep diseases away.
However, before they reach our hands, both types of food can become contaminated with various pathogens. Therefore, we must learn to wash and disinfect them properly before consuming them.
How to wash vegetables and fruits?
Below we will share some guidelines indicated by the Food and Drug Administration that will help you clean vegetables and fruits in the correct way.
1. Wash your hands well
Before handling food, you should wash your hands very well. Personal hygiene will also play a very important role in not contaminating food. So, before you have that piece of fruit that you love so much, be sure to wash your hands with soap and water. Never eat with dirty hands.
2. Wash whole vegetables and fruits
The best thing you can do to wash your fruits and vegetables is to do it before splitting or peeling them. When you wash the whole fruit or vegetable, you avoid that the pathogens that are on the crust, move to the interior of the food. You can do this regardless of whether you are going to consume it or not, with the peel.
Place the pieces of fruits and vegetables for at least two minutes under the tap or in a container with water.
3. Use a brush
If the vegetables and fruits have excess dirt (dirt or others), while you wash them with plenty of water, you can use a brush (or clean sponge free of soaps) to remove it.
4. Remove outer sheets
It is advisable to remove the outer leaves of some fruits and vegetables, as they may be contaminated.
5. Use antibacterial products
To disinfect, there are several home tricks that you can consider. A good option is to use antibacterial products, capable of fighting bacteria and reducing the risk of pathogens. Let’s see below how to prepare antibacterial solutions at home.
How to disinfect vegetables and fruits?
When you have already washed your fruits and vegetables, and preferably before cutting them, the ideal is to disinfect them completely.
Sodium bicarbonate
Baking soda is a product that, in small quantities and well diluted in water, could help us disinfect food and the surfaces on which we cut it.
How to do it?
Dilute a tablespoon of baking soda in a liter of water. Soak the vegetables and fruits for a few minutes (less than 5) and that’s it.
Vinegar
Vinegar is another of the natural disinfectants that we could use both naturally or diluted in a little water. Although we have not found scientific evidence on its use in food, we can cite articles on its use to clean kitchen surfaces.
How to do it?
Dilute a glass of vinegar in a liter of water, then soak the vegetables for 10 minutes or choose to spray the mixture with a spray before using the food in kitchen preparations.
Lemon
Lemon is a food known for its disinfectant and antibacterial properties, which are mainly due to citric acid. This food combined with a little vinegar would create a natural disinfectant, ideal for eliminating any pathogen from your fruits and vegetables.
How to do it?
In a bowl, mix equal parts of water, lemon and vinegar very well. Then place the fruits or vegetables to be used to soak, leaving it to act for 10 minutes. Then rinse and pat dry with a clean towel.
By properly washing and disinfecting your fruits and vegetables, you will minimize the risk of infection and can enjoy well-being. And you, how do you disinfect your food at home?
