Cleaning fresh fruit to remove chemical and bacterial build up

If you’ve read my previous post about pesticides and the dangers they pose, you’ll know the ‘dirty dozen’ list of twelve key favourite fruits and vegetables that contain the highest concentration of pesticides.

Whilst we can’t eliminate chemicals, bacteria and pesticides entirely, it is vitally important to wash and prepare all fruit and vegetables before consumption or cooking to get rid of as many toxins as possible.

How do you remove pesticides from food?

Vinegar!

Yes, that’s right. Good old vinegar is your firm friend in this case and will help eliminate waxy residue and toxins from fruit and vegetables.

How to wash fruit and vegetables with vinegar

According to research, you should use 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water for the most effective cleaning solution for fresh fruit and vegetables so you will need to stock up on vinegar!

Fill a clean bowl with water and add appropriate vinegar (in ratio of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water).

Ensure fruit and veg is covered completely and leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Drain water away, rinse with more clean water and produce is ready to consume or pat dry and store.

Is it safe to use vinegar to clean fruit and veg?

Vinegar is perfectly safe to use as a home remedy to clean, sanitise, or surface sterilise a variety of fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. Both fungi, bacteria and certain pesticides and chemical residues can be effectively removed from these fresh products by using vinegar, but the effectiveness of the vinegar depends on which bacterium and/or fungus is on (or suspected to be on) the fruit or vegetable, the concentration of the vinegar, the temperature of the water, and the amount of time the produce is exposed to the vinegar.