to have never washed fruit?

[bubbleandsqueaks]

It goes straight into fruit bowl. Nobody has died yet (or become ill as far as I'm aware)

AIBU?

Luegi, if I rinsed fruit under the tap would it make any difference to getting rid of bacteria? If that makes no difference what should we do? I generally rub apples on a clean t-shirt and rinse strawberries, grapes etc. Does this have any affect?

Please would you tell us what we should do?

THIS RIGHT HERE is why being "healthy" is shite.

You'd never have this trouble about Pot Noodles. "Ooh, better rinse the pot Noodle in case of worms." Or pizza. "Give that margherita a quick swill under the hot tap, darling. You didn't last time and I have the terrible squits."

Fruit and vegetables = danger.

I've never really thought about the dirt, I only wash and dry apples because of the horrible waxy crap on them. I wash grapes for the same reason although I really can't be arsed polishing them to a nice shine. (can I ever get the words 'arse' and 'grapes' in one sentence without laughing?)

I don't wash anything that needs to be peeled to eat, even tho the invisible crud is probably still on my fingers when I touch the fruit on the inside (why can't I stop giggling like a child?)

I put broccoli and cauliflower in a pan full of heavily salted water before I swill it out and use fresh water because I once bought broccoli in a sealed pack and when I opened it I found millions of little aphids or something chilling in the florets. I didn't notice at first until I saw a load of them floating on top of the water as I put it on to boil. Chucked the lot. Was from Morrisons btw.

Excuse me for all the giggling, I've just come over from reading the funny childbirth stories classics thread.

Given that the dodgy bacteria on our hands needs two minutes of soap and hot water to remove I really really can't see the purpose of running fruit under a cold tap for a second or two which is what most fruit washers do. I sincerely hope that no one actually washes their fruit because it would make it taste very nasty (plus surely half your soft fruit would end up down the drain) unless that is you like the taste of soap.

I'm so confused now I have no idea if washing fruit is beneficial or not, Lueji you have done nothing to clarify

I have been a fruit packer in my teens. WASH YOUR FRUIT AND VEG!

Go on then Deflated tell us all how it's rolled in dog poo brfore packing.

before even.

Two minutes of hot soap and water for effective handwashing? I thought it was 30 seconds, and I seem to be one of the few who actually stick to that, if what I see in public loos is accurate!

I thought it is 30min too. long enough to sing happy birthday (that's what they do at dc nursery).
2 min might be neccessary for the suregon before operating?

30 min?
30 sec of course

No mousy I think it is 30 minutes now-for fruit though.

I used to be a spotty, hungover teenager coughing my smoky breath at 5am in a cold factory. I barely washed my hands, even after a fag!I was an ignorant teenager tbh. The factory staff were never very er... clean with the veg/fruit.

I packed for M&S!

Remember a mate who had picked fruit for a year in Oz coming back and saw me grab an apple from the fridge and start eating it.....she grabbed it out of my hands and practically screamed at me......."they get sprayed with pesticides at least twice a week she yelled"...put fear of God into me.

Now I live overseas near lots of vineyards and I see the tractors spraying the grapes very regularly......funnily enough.....it hasn't put me off the wine

I've never washed fruit, it can be a real bastard to fit the tin under the tap

Do I need to wash my Chocolate Orange?

I always polish it on the arse of my jeans.

@ Plenty

What? My chocolate orange !

But if the worms live in the apples, doesn't that mean you have to rinse inside the fruit before eating it?

Look, I used to work in a bakery where some seriously disgusting things went on. I still eat baked goods, am still alive, etc. Honestly.

Or you could just buy organic F&V and not worry about pesticides. And the threadworms would be free range.

Have never washed fruit and have never had D&V in 45+ years, neither have my DC's and seeing the youngest is 15 I'm not about to change my ways.

@ free range threadworms

Nope. Never washed fruit unless it has just come from the garden and has mud or caterpillar crap on it.

"Have never washed fruit and have never had D&V in 45+ years, neither have my DC's and seeing the youngest is 15 I'm not about to change my ways."

Wow. You are so lucky. I wish I had an iron constitution. I grew up in a house where fruit and veg never got cleaned properly so was exposed to all sorts of stuff - I once found a snail in my soinach Florentine and lettuce was always gritty, but in 1984 I had a bad case of salmonella from a meal out. From having a stomach of iron I have now developed IBS and get diarrhoea so easily that I have to be very careful about what I eat. DD kept getting diarrhoea in her first term at high school until she stopped drinking "no added sugar" fruit squash. It was the nasty artificial sweeteners that were upsetting her stomach. So this is why I do wash fruit and veg (and avoid artificial sweeteners).

I do realise I've been lucky, I frequently found livestock in my food as a child when my Nan cooked as her eyesight was bad.
Have been so lucky with DC's as have never had that awful time when they won't stop being sick etc. Not sure what to put it down to apart from luck but am not going to change anything just in case.