You might have wondered this at some point. While its easy to tell when dirt residue is washed off produce, pesticide residue isn’t so straightforward. It turns out, what method is best for washing produce isn’t so straightforward either. Two seperate studies investigated methods of washing pesticide residue off apples and leafy greens. The apple study, “Effectiveness of Commercial and Homemade Washing Agents in Removing Pesticide Residues on and in Apples” in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, concluded sodium bicarbonate (baking soda; NaHCO3) was most effective at removing Phosmet and Thiabendazole surface residue from apples. It is worth noting Thiabendazole is a systemic pesticide, which penetrates into the apple peel, and could not be washed away using the baking soda washing solution. The study concluded, washing apples in a baking soda solution will remove surface pesticides best, and peeling apples is most effective to remove penetrated pesticides.
The leafy greens study “Effectiveness of Different Washing Strategies on Pesticide Residue Removal: The First Comparative Study on Leafy Vegetables” in Foods Journal, compared 9 different cleaning methods: Alkaline water, running water, stagnant water, blanching, boiling, ultrasonic cleaning, NaHCO3, vinegar, and vegetable detergent solution. 10 different pesticides were analyzed: azoxystrobin, chlorantraniliprole, chlorfenapyr, diniconazole, fludioxonil, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, lufenuron, pyraclostrobin, and thiamethoxam. On average, rinsing under running water and boiling led to the highest reduction in pesticide residue. Using vegetable cleaning detergent was the least effective method of removing pesticides from leafy greens.
The National Pesticide Information Center attests that no method is 100% effective, but provides the following recommendations:
Wash fruits and vegetables even if you do not plan to eat the skin.
Wash your hands with soap and warm water before and after handling fresh fruits and vegetables.
Hold the fruit or vegetable under flowing water in a strainer. This removes more pesticide than dunking the produce.
The FDA does not recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash. They have not been proven to be any more effective than water alone.
No washing method is 100% effective for removing all pesticide residues.
Scrub firm produce like melons and potatoes with a clean brush. Scrubbing firm fruits can help get more of the residues off.
Rub soft produce like grapes while holding them under running water to remove residues.
Put fragile fruits and vegetables like berries in a colander and turn it while gently spraying it with water.
Discard the outer leaves of leafy produce, like lettuce and cabbage.
Peel produce that can be peeled, like peaches or apples.
Heating can help get rid of residues, but you might be getting rid of nutrients, too.
I personally soak my produce in a baking soda and water solution, then rinse well with running tap water while gently rubbing/scrubbing. I also typically peel produce that is able to be peeled. Although USDA organic does not eliminate all pesticides, it prohibits the use of most synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Furthermore, the soil must have no prohibited substances applied for 3 years prior to harvest. Because of this, I try to source organic produce when possible. I am also conscious of consuming a wide variety of produce, to diversify and prevent being exposed to the same type of pesticide. What measures do you take to limit your pesticide exposure? What methods do you use to clean your produce?
تعليقات