Cleaning is needed for your vegetables and fruit
Fruit and vegetables are important for your health, but did you know that taking / eat it without proper cleaning could make it worse, there are many contaminants that could affect the fruit and vegetables we eat. Fortunately, there are ways of removing these contaminants.
What do Schaeffer, Tribology, Krylon and Shell have in common? Well, one of the things they share is the fact that they are all manufacturers of food grade lubricants. Schaeffer has Penetro 90, Tribology produces Tech-Lube, Krylon manufactures Tri-Flow, and Shell is the maker of Cassida. These products are not designed to grease food, lubricate food, or cover it with some sort of a protective coating. They are designed to be used with the machinery and equipment with which food might come in contact at food processing and packaging plants.
Why food grade lubricants? As Shell puts it, “It is virtually impossible to guarantee that lubricants used in food manufacturing plants don’t come into contact with the food products…. Oil droplets can fling off machinery in fast-moving applications or grease can drip from bearings or conveyors…. Also, contamination can occur at any point through simple human error or equipment failure, such as hydraulic hose failure.” In other words, it is possible for these lubricating products to become what is known as indirect food additives. Fortunately, the food handling companies that are using these synthetic, high performance lubes and greases are using products that are considered “harmless if accidentally consumed in quantities below the maximum prescribed level.”
These accidental contaminants are not the only foreign substances that may be found on your fresh fruits and vegetables. In some cases, these “additives” are intentional. For instance, many fruits and vegetables are given a wax coating prior to delivery to your local grocery store. Apples are a prime example. Contrary to what some may say, however, this is not done simply to improve their shine and make these foods more attractive to consumers – though that may be a beneficial side effect as far as the distributor is concerned.
Fruits and vegetables like apples come with a natural wax coating. It seals in moisture and allows them to maintain that vital crispness and juicy taste. Unfortunately, the normal brushing and washing that takes place after harvest removes more than the unwanted twigs, leaves and field dirt. It also takes away that original wax coating. To replace it, a commercial grade wax is needed, and a light covering is applied.
These waxes are specially made for the process. They are composed of natural ingredients, and are certified by government sanctioned agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to be safe to eat. “They come from natural sources including carnauba wax, from the leaves of a Brazilian palm; candellia wax, derived from reed-like desert plants;… and food-grade shellac, which comes from a secretion of the lac bug found in India and Pakistan.” (from the U.S. Apple Association)
Much testing has been done, and the consumer is assured that “no known harm” has been associated with the consumption of these additional ingredients. Still, not everybody wants to add lac bug secretions or even minute quantities of food grade grease products to their diet. As well, these do not exhaust the list of possible contaminants. Mention has not been made of residual traces of herbicides, pesticides or fungicides which just might be present. And what about chance encounters with salmonella or e coli bacteria? Fresh fruits and vegetables may be generally free of these unwanted add-ons, but one can never be entirely certain. So what is the best course of action? Can anything be done to make what are probably already pretty safe foods to eat even safer?
Rinsing under the tap might help. A more thorough washing could be even better, although particular care would have to be taken with soft fruits. Remember, too, that some of these incidental additives are actually designed to withstand high temperatures and to not mix with water. There are some who recommend rinsing with soap and water, but that might not be such a good idea, especially on porous fruits such as apples. No matter how gentle those soaps and detergents may be on your hands, unless they are formulated for use on fruits and vegetables, they have not been brought to the market with the intent that they might be an edible product. In other words, why replace one contaminant with another?
Finally, consideration might be given to some sort of a disinfectant which would be used prior to your final washing. Nothing elaborate is needed. Susan Sumner, a food scientist at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, as quoted in Total Renewal: 7 Key Steps to Resilience, Vitality & Long-Term Health, suggests the use of white vinegar and 3% hydrogen peroxide. The vinegar is obtainable at any grocery store, the hydrogen peroxide solution at almost any drug store or pharmacy. These ingredients are not toxic, they are inexpensive, and they can be used not only on the fruits and vegetables but as sanitizers for counter tops and cutting boards.
1. Place the vinegar and hydrogen peroxide into individual spray bottles.
2. When spraying the produce or work surfaces, use the vinegar first and then the hydrogen peroxide.
3. Rinse under clean, running water, or, in the case of work surfaces, wipe with a clean, wet sponge or cloth.
This simple solution may be all that is required — if, of course, you determine that anything is required. The final decision is yours, for it is up to you decide just how clean must “clean” be.