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DEL.ICIO.USIs washing veggies enough?
Are you buying expensive sprays or not eating fruits and veggies to avoid food-borne illness? Here’s what the experts are doing to protect their families.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Federal officials have officially declared fresh tomatoes safe to eat but they also say they still aren’t certain if it was was Mrs. Tomato in the kitchen or Col. Jalepeno in the backyard with the salmonella making so many people sick. (FDA officials confirmed Monday they have found a salmonella strain on some Mexican jalapeno peppers handled in Texas but that doesn’t exonerate the tomato.)
Since government officials haven’t completely nailed down the food-borne culprit, it makes you wonder what should you be doing to protect your family? Are you simply washing fruits and vegetables? Are you using fancy sprays that the grocery store is selling? Are you just not eating them?
Well I found a Newsweek story that explains how food scientists are protecting themselves. Here’s what they recommend:
“What do the food safety experts do? They wash their produce in running tap water—and eat up. For example, Al Bushway, professor of food science at the University of Maine, uses a spray nozzle on his kitchen faucet to clean lettuce and a vegetable brush to clean apples. He doesn’t use chlorine washes, since they give at best a ‘slight’ reduction in microbial load. (If you really want to use chlorine, mix a tablespoon of it with a gallon of water, then rinse it off afterward.)”
“To further reduce risk, the experts recommend washing not just the fruit you consume with the peel on, like apples, but also fruits and vegetables that are peelable or have inedible rinds, like bananas and melons. When you slice or handle produce, bacteria could be transferred from the peel or rind to your hands or to a knife and then to the fruit or vegetable you’re eating—as could chemical residues. Washing before you peel reduces that risk. With green leafies you can take the extra step of removing the outer layer of a head of lettuce, for example, and then washing, says Michael Doyle, director of the center for food safety at the University of Georgia. ‘The contamination largely occurs on the outside, whether it’s fruits or vegetables.’ Like Bushway, Doyle doesn’t spend money on commercial fruit and vegetable ‘washes.’ They do a good job of removing soil and trace chemical residues, say experts, but they don’t help much with bacteria.”
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Comments
By Katie
July 22, 2008 7:16 AM | Link to this
If people are THAT worried about cleaning their veggies, wash everything in a 5% bleach solution. It will kill all germs, won’t hurt the flavor and is harmless to your health (restaurants do that, bet you didn’t know that). Geez. Yes, washing veggies is enough—at least for those of us with good immune systems. For all you unhealthy poeple, keep eating the deep fat fried food—frying will kill everything too.
By jct
July 22, 2008 8:20 AM | Link to this
I just wash under running tap water. Nothing more.
I believe those sprays are a rip off. A way for us to pay money for ‘security.’
I am glad that I am growing my own tomatoes and peppers in my garden. I love serrano and jalepeno peppers.
By Numbers Guy
July 22, 2008 9:20 AM | Link to this
I once had a vegetarian lecture me on the dangers of mad cow. I should probably call him up and return the favor…..
As for veggie prep, I’ve always just washed ‘em under the tap. Good to know the experts say I’m OK with that.
By elee1296
July 22, 2008 10:05 AM | Link to this
Theresa, it’s an interesting topic that you raise.
Since I’ve been covering this outbreak for the AJC, I thought I’d add some information that came out in a conference call with reporters yesterday about handling jalapeno or serrano peppers.
The FDA is recommending that if you have any in your house, that they be thrown away. Although washing can eliminate bacteria, it can also spread it around a kitchen. The same goes for cooking jalapenos — federal public health officials are advising consumers and restaurants not to cook jalapenos, either, because of the risk of cross-contamination, or of not cooking to a temperature hot enough to kill the salmonella bacteria.
Pickled and cooked jalapenos are considered safet to eat, though — I’m assuming the advice here refers to something you’d buy bottled at the store, rather than something you’d cook at home.
Here’s an excerpt from a FAQ on the FDA web site:
Should consumers avoid fresh jalapeño and serrano peppers or foods that contain them during this outbreak? At this time, the FDA advises that all consumers avoid raw jalapeño peppers and foods that contain them, such as some types of salsa and pico de gallo. FDA also advises that consumers who are especially vulnerable to infection, such as infants, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems, avoid raw serrano peppers and foods that contain them at this time. Consumers are advised not to wash, peel, or cook these kinds of raw peppers to try to get rid of Salmonella contamination that may be present. These actions are not likely to get rid of Salmonella, which is very hard to remove by conventional means, and might spread the bacterium to the environment; for example, to hands, sinks, cutting boards, knives, and other foods.
If you want to read more of the recommendations, they’re on the FDA web site.
By Stacey
July 22, 2008 10:07 AM | Link to this
I wash fruits like apples, pears, tomatoes, grapes, cherries, etc under running water before eating. I generally don’t wash things such as bananas and oranges that I always peel before eating. The exception is if I am using the zest or if I an using it unpeeled such as in lemonade or as a garnish. Sometimes oranges have a silver film on them that rubs off on my hands and if that happens, I was it under running water before eating. I wipe melons with a wet towel before cutting.
I generally scrub hard veggies with a vegetable brush and water before using them unpeeled, even if they are to be cooked. I wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel. I do repeated washings in a sink full of water of leafy greens (including two with a couple of drops of dish soap) because I HATE to bite into gritty greens. I could probably wash and rinse a full load of laundry with the water used to wash turnip greens.
By nurse&mother
July 22, 2008 10:26 AM | Link to this
I generally use a couple of drops of dish soap and a lot of water to clean my fruits and veggies. The sprays are a waste of money.
By ????
July 22, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
Does this pepper scare mean we should stay away from mexican restaurants?
By lisa
July 22, 2008 11:21 AM | Link to this
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IS THE CHEAPEST AND BEST WAY. IT HAS MANY, MANY USES. GOOGLE IT!
By John
July 22, 2008 11:31 AM | Link to this
The food police need to leave us alone. Do away with the scare tactics, let us eat raw jalapenos and be done witn it. I have a greater chance of being hurt on my way to work in a car than of getting sick eating something.
By Theresa
July 22, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
I want to say thanks to our AJC reporter Elizabeth Lee for logging on this morning and sharing all that good new info from press conference —- Elizbeth do you know if it does mean we should stay away from Mexican restaurants for a while?? (I will email her this question just in case she doesn’t see this post)
By FCM
July 22, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
elee1296 when I saw this on the main board I thought this was your column.
I scrub potatoes with a brush…well any root veg but celery. The rest I wash under plain old tap water.
I do bleach out the coffee pot—need to do that this weekend. It harbors mold/mildew in it (its white and easy to see)…then follow with a vinegar rinse.
I didn’t use to wash fruits I would peel (ie bananas, oranges) but since the outbreaks I am. All of these could be contained if people practiced proper hygenie (wash hands after restroom use)…I suppose some people could be using the actual growing fields as toliets too, but I thought largely we were over that.
Read Steinbeck…it could be worse.
By Vonnie
July 22, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
To clean all your fruit and veggies. Mix 4 tablespoons of table salt with the juice of a half of a lemon in a clean sink of cold water. Let items soak for 4 minutes, then use a veggie scrub brush and rinse in another sink of cold water. Let drain until dry and store in Frig!
By The Forgotten Messiah
July 22, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
CNN just reported that the FDA has announced that the pesticides and herbicides used in produce in America cannot be washed, boiled, peeled, or soaked away. It’s a permanent part of the plant, called systemic.
That’s the bad news.
THe good news is that Black Flag has 5 new flavors!!
By FCM
July 22, 2008 11:47 AM | Link to this
OK the washing hands/toliet comments are geared toward e.coli not Salmonella.
Tex Mex with no spicy jalps? UGH! Say it ain’t so!
By Ryan
July 22, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
I’m surprised white vinegar wasn’t mentioned anywhere in the article. I heard that gets rid of most of the bad stuff, but is much less toxic than bleach. I saw a study that compared bleach, fruit-sprays, plain tap water, and finally a concoction of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Turns out the Vinegar/Water mix is the best of all options.
By Jesse's Girl
July 22, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this
Hydrogen peroxide and plain vinegar…works wonderfully! I wash everything with it that gets eaten with the skin. I also detoxify the meat I serve the family by soaking it in an ice/salt mixture.
By Elizabeth Lee
July 22, 2008 12:53 PM | Link to this
Theresa and others who have asked:
The FDA did not advise anyone to stay away from Mexican restaurants.
Many restaurants serve bottled salsa, which is safe to eat. It’s cooked and heat-treated, which would kill bacteria. Other restaurants may use pickled jalapenos on nachos, and those are also considered safe.
If you’re concerned, ask the waiter or restaurant manager how foods that might contain jalapenos or other spicy peppers were prepared.
Tell them why you’re asking. Usually, restaurants don’t like to admit they use bottled salsa rather than something they make fresh every day. But in this case, many customers would probably prefer to hear that.
By lovin life
July 22, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
oh no oh no. i am soo sad. I eat fresh Jalapeno’s almost every day, even when I was preggers with little b our 2nd child. My grandma says that is why he has red tents in his hair ha! I am not sure what to eat now. First my tomatos now Jalapenos.
By Noelle
July 22, 2008 2:34 PM | Link to this
I wash all fruits and veggies before eating, except bananas if I’m just going to remove the peel. (If I’m going to cut it in half before peeling, then I wash.) I have a veggie brush that I use for thick-skinned things like apples and potatoes, which I nearly always eat with the peel still on.
I’ve never been able to trace any food-borne illness to anything I’ve had at home. The times I’ve had problems, it’s always been related to a restaurant meal. Problems are much more likely to come from cross-contamination with meat, which carries many more bacteria, and I’m scrupulously careful when handling meat.
By parentof4
July 22, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this
I really did not care for tomatoes before the scare…but I do love jalapenos. In fact I was buying them and eating them during the scare. So am I going to stop eating the fresh jalapenos? Probably not. In fact NO I will not. I think the FDA has already KILLED the tomatoe industry, now my jalapenos? I wash all my fruit and veggies, except bananas and oranges. But apparently I should wash them immediately when they come in also. As prices on fruits and veggies increase, I have been more and more wanting to do my own garden. Now with this, I just might. Or atleast pay the people that have their own gardens to share the goodness.
By Ag Agent Rick VanV
July 22, 2008 4:11 PM | Link to this
Not to worry, Forgotten Messiah, and don’t believe everything you hear on the tv! Most pesticides are NOT systemic (within the plant tissue) and all, systemic or not, have a pre-harvest interval designed in to make sure any potential residues are at least 100 times below the generally regarded as safe level determined by the EPA, if they’re detectable at all. As for washing your fresh jalopenos and serranos, it’s not likely with this recent announcement by FDA that you’ll be able to find either in any major market for the near future. Great timing for all our northern veg growers just as harvest is getting underway.
By catlady
July 22, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
Grow your own—it is that simple. Almost anyone can do it, and in Atlanta you should be able to garden at least 10 months of the year.
By Old foodservice person
August 1, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
You have to wonder why more foodservice and industrial operations are using something like this. Here is the link:
http://www.upi.com/HealthNews/2008/06/26/Producewashkillsbacteriaonfood/UPI-42751214505272/
Produce wash kills bacteria on food
Published: June 26, 2008 at 2:34 PM
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PULLMAN, Wash., June 26 (UPI) — A fruit and vegetable wash, when used in food-manufacturing, can decrease food pathogens in produce-processing wash water, U.S. researchers said.
Researchers at the University of Idaho and Washington State University said the product sold commercially as FIT Fruit and Vegetable Wash, not only proved much more effective than the commonly used chlorine dioxide, but is made from ingredients like citric acid and distilled grapefruit oil that are generally regarded as safe.
Chlorine dioxide, used in food plants, can put workers at risk, when compromised by soils and plant debris in the wash water. In the study, chlorine dioxide killed 90 percent of the target organisms in the food plant and follow-up laboratory studies. By contrast, FIT killed 99.999 percent, said food scientist Dong-Hyun Kang of Washington State University.
“If you had a million bacteria, you would have one left,” Kang said.
The research — unusual because part of it was conducted under real-world conditions in an Idaho fresh pack potato operation — is published online ahead of print in the Journal of Food Science in August.
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