how do you wash fruits and vegetables?

[h90]

yesterday I ate some steak + a yellow paprika, organic royal project + an apple, organic New Zealand.

I got an amazing diarrhea, without pain, but pumped liquid out like never before.

I admit that both the paprika + the apple I only flushed for a 2 seconds on tap water and the paprika was a bit out of shape with more "wrinkles" than normal.

Wife has the opinion that all the vegetables should be heated to be safe (but doesn't do it herself). Other people soak it an hour in water and add vinegar or salt to the cleaning water.

What is a reasonable way, not need to complete sterilize it , keep the vitamins but reduce the risk?

[Bung]

I read you soak them in water and bi carbonate of soda for 20 minutes or so tbe get the chemicals off them

[Sheryl]

Washing with vinegar is a good way to remove at least some of the pesticide residue which frankly concerns me a lot more than bacteria. Need to do it so that the produce floats in the vinegar + water a bit. Then drain and rinse again.

From what you describe I don't think washing procedures had anything at all to do with your diarrhea . Rather, I think it was the paprika that was "a bit out of shape with more "wrinkles" than normal." It had gone bad, and no amount of washing - which only affects the outside of the fruit - will change that.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Washing with vinegar is a good way to remove at least some of the pesticide residue which frankly concerns me a lot more than bacteria. Need to do it so that the produce floats in the vinegar + water a bit. Then drain and rinse again.

Sheryl, what kind of concentration of vinegar in the water? X vinegar to Y water???

[jumbo]

In Big C and Lotus they sell a liquid to wash vegetables and fruits with, greenish bottle and placed near cleaning products like dettol

Wife bought it, not sure if it helps but she thinks it is better than just the tap water rinse

[NickJ]

Paprika is a spice. When they make it they air dry the peppers. Maybe the Bell pepper had been in the fridge and became contaminated by coming into contact with meat or whatever.I buy the Bell peppers here all the time and somtimes I eat them wrinkeled...super healthy food.

[h90]

Washing with vinegar is a good way to remove at least some of the pesticide residue which frankly concerns me a lot more than bacteria. Need to do it so that the produce floats in the vinegar + water a bit. Then drain and rinse again.

From what you describe I don't think washing procedures had anything at all to do with your diarrhea . Rather, I think it was the paprika that was "a bit out of shape with more "wrinkles" than normal." It had gone bad, and no amount of washing - which only affects the outside of the fruit - will change that.

Sorry....I didn't explain clear. Not wrinkles from getting old. It was fresh, but lot more curved/bent inside surface than usual for a Paprika. A freakish Paprika. So I may didn't clean the "pockets" on the surface.

While fresh it was packed in a plastic bag which is of course perfect for breeding bacteria...

Both fruits were organic so I hope that at least there are less pesticides on it. But of course even a honest organic supplier can't check every farmer and every fruit....

[h90]

Paprika is a spice. When they make it they air dry the peppers. Maybe the Bell pepper had been in the fridge and became contaminated by coming into contact with meat or whatever.I buy the Bell peppers here all the time and somtimes I eat them wrinkeled...super healthy food.

no meat and vegetables are separate in the fridge. I shouldn't have cut the paprika with the same knife than the meat, but of course can't exclude it 100%.

It was relative fresh beef, which I would have eaten raw (and did many times in Europe) as well if not someone in the forum had told me to not do that in Thailand. So I doubt that only a knife cut could cause such dramatic effects. But who knows maybe I am wrong on that.

[Sheryl]

Washing with vinegar is a good way to remove at least some of the pesticide residue which frankly concerns me a lot more than bacteria. Need to do it so that the produce floats in the vinegar + water a bit. Then drain and rinse again.

Sheryl, what kind of concentration of vinegar in the water? X vinegar to Y water???

I frankly don't know, I just splash it in. enough to be able to very, very faintly detect the taste of it.

[mommysboy]

Eating fruit and veg. is necessary, but something I keep to a minimum in Thailand. Never eat any food that may have soured. Eat bananas, the peel protects what is inside.

You can wash your fruit and veg in bicarbonate of soda, usually available off the shelf in Tesco Lotus for example.

[Jingthing]

The water/vinegar soak ... do you use tap water?

I reckon restaurants don't bother with any of that, right?

[Johnnie99]

Carefully and thoroughly?

How do you do yours?

[sanuk711]

I juice quite a lot----so the cleaning is important----yes 25% vinegar 75% water, the larger leaves -Kale etc sometimes need brushing, I tend to do this over a large plastic bowl then leave them soaking in the residue & more water overnight----juice in the morning.

here is a small video showing one of the ways to clean

http://bestforjuicing.com/washing-fruits-and-vegetables/

Also below is the worse & least fruits & veg re pesticides---the list is from America , but I guess the same would apply here, obviously veg that is grown under the ground has less or no spry on it.

Edited June 17, 2015 by sanuk711

[h90]

The water/vinegar soak ... do you use tap water?

I reckon restaurants don't bother with any of that, right?

Restaurant: I saw the nice lady in the kitchen cut the chicken into pieces (with some blood or liquid), than took the dishcloth, that looked like it wasn't cleaned the last 6 month wished over the cutting board and the knife. So rub in the liquid and add whatever living on that fabric, than cut the tomato and cucumber which she put on the side of the rice.

So the worst thing you can do....Funny enough, normally you can eat that without any problems, as the acid in the stomach takes care of it....

[falang07]

I wash them with standard liquid soap and rinse under tap water. Then wipe with a tissue. Never had a problem.

[h90]

I juice quite a lot----so the cleaning is important----yes 25% vinegar 75% water, the larger leaves -Kale etc sometimes need brushing, I tend to do this over a large plastic bowl then leave them soaking in the residue & more water overnight----juice in the morning.

here is a small video showing one of the ways to clean

http://bestforjuicing.com/washing-fruits-and-vegetables/

Also below is the worse & least fruits & veg re pesticides---the list is from America , but I guess the same would apply here, obviously veg that is grown under the ground has less or no spry on it.

I recall onion get nematodes (spelling??) and in Europe Farangistan it was always a big problem that the farmers used so much pesticides against it. Illegal pesticides they imported from USA where they were legal.

They are systemic pesticides so washing doesn't help.

So I wouldn't trust them as well.

[h90]

Eating fruit and veg. is necessary, but something I keep to a minimum in Thailand. Never eat any food that may have soured. Eat bananas, the peel protects what is inside.

You can wash your fruit and veg in bicarbonate of soda, usually available off the shelf in Tesco Lotus for example.

I just bought some vinegar......

fruit and veg. necessary? I didn't eat any for years.......till the forum here brainwashed me ......

Now I eat at least 1 apple per day....

[johnhenry51]

When working in the Middle East after washing my my fruit and veg in water I would soak them in Miltons baby bottle sterilising fluid for the time recommended for a baby's bottle. Miltons can be bought ready mad as a concentrate or in tablet form. I am sure other similalr sterilising products are available in Thailand.

best regards

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

The other day there was a horror story about a live black widow (plus eggs and off spring) in veggies people bought in the UK (import veg from Mexico). I would go with bicarb, vinegar or salt. Soak the veg or fruits in a strong sollution for atleast 20 minutes. At the end of the soaking period gently rub the surface of the veg or fruits with your hand inside the sollution. Then rinse under running filtered water.

Most pesticides are systemic (absorbed into the plant) and thus washing will do little to help. Washing will however remove pesticides and herbicides that was incorrectly applied just before harvesting (normally a 28 day period must be allowed between the last spray and harvesting for pesticides).

[little mary sunshine]

I wash everything in 2oz bleach, squeeze dish wash liquid mixed in 2 qts water.

All lettuce I wash in tap water first and rinse with filtered water. Use salad spinner to

Dry

[Soutpeel]

Never bothered in Thailand, but when i working in China many years ago, Bejing belly was common and I found washing the fruit, and some times the meat, (raw obviously) in Miltons fluid (the stuff they use to sterilise babies bottles) which I bought in HK...seems to have worked

[searcher22]

Spraying vegetables with white vinegar and water wash (most experts recommend 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar) kills 98% of bacteria and removes pesticides.

Note: The FDA recommends washing fruits and vegetables under running water......it does not recommend soaking produce. It also does not recommend commercial produce washes (and they're way overpriced too!).

"Soaking vegetables is effective for cleaning them, but it also leaches out water-soluble nutrients, such as certain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that display antioxidant properties, according to Nutritional Sciences for Human Health. Vitamin C, for example, is susceptible to being leached out. Chopping vegetables into small pieces and then soaking them is even worse because more surface area is exposed to the water and the air, which also oxidizes some nutrients."

Do throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables before washing.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I have no idea if this is any good or better than regular soap, or worse for that matter.

But my wife bought a bottle of liquid soap specifically for washing fruits and veggies from Tesco recently -- labeled as St Andrews Vegetable and Fruit Washing Liquid. Appears to have been made in Thailand. 250 ml bottle.

The active ingredients listed on the label are 4.8% sodium lauryl ether sulfate (which looks like the same kind of soap used in dish soap and shampoo) and 1.2% alkyl polyglycoside.

Wondering how something like that compares to using vinegar or sodium bicarb for the intended purpose...

[h90]

Spraying vegetables with white vinegar and water wash (most experts recommend 3 parts water to 1 part white vinegar) kills 98% of bacteria and removes pesticides.

Note: The FDA recommends washing fruits and vegetables under running water......it does not recommend soaking produce. It also does not recommend commercial produce washes (and they're way overpriced too!).

"Soaking vegetables is effective for cleaning them, but it also leaches out water-soluble nutrients, such as certain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that display antioxidant properties, according to Nutritional Sciences for Human Health. Vitamin C, for example, is susceptible to being leached out. Chopping vegetables into small pieces and then soaking them is even worse because more surface area is exposed to the water and the air, which also oxidizes some nutrients."

Do throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables before washing.

I think a complete tomato or apple can be soaked without loosing something....But well both tomato and apple are fruits not vegetables....

[lvr181]

Boil the water first and then wash fruit and vegetable in it when cooled.

There are concerns surrounding the use of sodium laurel sulfate. Do your research on that one.

[Kitsune]

First of: You are undernourished. One steak, one paprika and one apple is not enough for one day.

The normal consumption of calories for a male adult is about 2.200-2.400 calories per day.

A steak (56 cal), a chili (18 cal) and an apple (94cal) = 168 calories which is not even a tenth of what you should be eating.

Secondly: Chances are that it is the steak rather than veggies that made you sick,not the veggies. And if it is the veggies it's most probably from people touching them before you (If you eat an apple you could be the 20th pair of hand to touch it).

Washing organic veggies is like pouring oil on a zero calories meal. No water is pesticide free especially here. I personally never wash organic veggies in 25 years never been sick, I scrape them sometimes, but I have a strong immune system and don't eat meat.

[Sheryl]

As I read the OP he was describing a single meal after which he quickly developed severe, but brief, watery diarrhea. Not the whole day's intake.

That strong a reaction will not have been caused by a slightly dirty knife and the like. It needs for something ingested to have been badly off. As the steak was presumably cooked, would likely have been either the pepper or the apple. If however the steak was very rare and not cooked all the way through , then that too is a possibility.

It is also possible that the timing to that meal was coincidental and that the problem was from something eaten earlier, or even a viral illness. But usually this kind of violent diarrhea soon after a meal is due to something just eaten that had spoiled or to which the person has a major intolerance.

[Kitsune]

Quote from the OP "yesterday I ate"

Meaning in the DAY before he ate ....

[h90]

As I read the OP he was describing a single meal after which he quickly developed severe, but brief, watery diarrhea. Not the whole day's intake.

That strong a reaction will not have been caused by a slightly dirty knife and the like. It needs for something ingested to have been badly off. As the steak was presumably cooked, would likely have been either the pepper or the apple. If however the steak was very rare and not cooked all the way through , then that too is a possibility.

It is also possible that the timing to that meal was coincidental and that the problem was from something eaten earlier, or even a viral illness. But usually this kind of violent diarrhea soon after a meal is due to something just eaten that had spoiled or to which the person has a major intolerance.

to be exact: I has 2 or 3 small yoghurts in the morning or a bit later. The some packed yoghurts (dutchmilk) I always eat, not some self made: So I would think that isn't the reason.

Than sometime like 2-3 PM the steak+paprika+apple. Than I went already once to the toilet in a very watery way, but didn't think much. At something like 6-7 PM I eat a soup with meat inside.

And direct afterwards it started the full scale till 3-4 AM (like 10-15 times).

I early start to eat coal tablets....maybe in total 15-25 (I always drink water when I woke up and some coal tablets). No food. As soon as the coal was thru the system everything was OK.

Wife told I am very hot (but didn't measure). Of course a bit weak afterward but else complete OK.

So maybe 2-4 hours to start and finished in 12 hours. No food intolerance, no problems with paprika. Paprika wasn't spicy and I have no problem with spicy.

I ate some mustard from France which I opened new. Ate the same kind of mustard before: no problem and I didn't eat much of it.

If the beef was bad, I would have smelled it, but it looked OK and actually by mistake it was complete well done.

I didn't drink any fruit juice.

So either the paprika+apple or my body didn't like the big junk of meat on empty stomach but such wouldn't need all the night.....

I bought already vinegar for cleaning in future...

[h90]

Quote from the OP "yesterday I ate"

Meaning in the DAY before he ate ....

maybe an English problem....no I ate more on that day....and the steak was surely 200-300 gram which is surely more than 56 kcal (400?).

But currently I try to reduce weight a bit....maybe not eating much and than 200 gram meat at once overloaded the system, but I doubt that. I remember I ate once a steak with 1.100 gram without problems so 200-300 couldn't be a problem.