Fruit and vegetable wash
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Vinegar and cold water. Soak produce briefly, then rinse well.
What You’ll Need
- 1/2 cup vinegar to 2 cups water (optional soak)
- Clean chilled tap water; vegetable brush
Equipment
- mixing bowl
Directions
- Wash your hands with warm soapy water, and clean the sink or use a wide clean container.
- Rinse produce under plain, cold tap water (the usual recommendation).
- Scrub thick or netted skins (like cantaloupe) with a vegetable brush.
- Leafy greens: soak for a couple of minutes in clean water, then drain and rinse (soaking for 30 minutes is no better).
- Optional: soak in 1/2 cup vinegar to 2 cups water, then rinse.
- Dry with a clean paper towel, and refrigerate within two hours of preparing.
Notes
Safety: never wash produce with soap or sanitizers (residue can cause vomiting or diarrhea); vinegar soaks reduce but don’t eliminate bacteria and can leave a pickle taste; commercial washes worked about as well as plain water. Ready to eat bagged salads don’t need rinsing. No claims that a homemade wash removes pesticides or germs.