To not wash my fruit and veg before cooking/eating?

[AmserGwin]

Inspired by the bin thread. How many of you actually wash your fruit and/or veg before eating or cooking it? I never have, do people really do this?

That should say what on earth

I don't, because I reckon it already has been washed. I mean carrots don't actually come out of the ground orange do they?

Never, and I have not had to visit a doctor for anything at all for 5 years now and have not had a day off sick for 11 years. DH and our 2 DS are in equally roust health. As my grandma used to say "You've got to eat a peck of dirt before you die"

I wash stuff like a whole head of lettuce, but not much else, things like mushrooms get a rinse.

Every time, especially if it's non-organic. It's not just dirt it's all the chemicals they get sprayed with: want to get rid of as many of them as I can.

Never, and I have not had to visit a doctor for anything at all for 5 years now and have not had a day off sick for 11 years.

This is a bit like saying: I haven't worn a seatbelt in my entire 31 years of life, as an adult I drive almost every day, and I've never suffered any injury in a car - is that a sound argument for people not wearing seatbelts?

Also, for everybody questioning the purpose of rinsing fruit and veg:

www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2006/09/victual_ablutions.html

"Food safety experts say that a thorough rinsing can reduce the number of microorganisms on fresh produce by about 90 percent"

I wash it all. It's either been repeatedly doused with chemicals, or it's been grown in animal shit. I would like to consume as little of either as possible!

The posters on here who are saying that organic produce is grown on shit . Surely ALL produce is grown on shit, has anyone smelt the disgusting stink of chicken shit that farmers use at certain times of the year?

I only buy untreated or organic produce and still wash the produce that won't be steamed. I wash parsnips and carrots etc. before steaming without peeling, , that works well because I can then use the water for stock .

Nothing whatsoever to do with germs or bacteria but it's about pesticides.
When the package says wash before use it's not about washing off dirt or germs.
Many pesticides won't wash off and it's actually healthier to peel even though you lose nutrients that way.

BUt eating shit from horses etc isn't harmful, eating actual chemicals is. Hence organic better.

Wouldn't wash carrots etc for cooking.

ALWAYS wash salad and things that are eaten raw. Especially lettuce. They are actually pretty high risk for food poisoning. Bagged salad is the worst.

Just because you/your grandma/whoever happen to have survived decades without washing their food that doesn't mean that you're not putting yourself at higher risk of food poisoning.

I'm not a germophobe either - just see it as a quick and basic measure to help prevent food poisoning.

Also, salad I've grown in my own back garden gets even more thoroughly washed ever since I found half a catterpillar on my plate one time...

No that's true Artandco The most hair-raising stories are the ones where we were told that 'night soil' or human shit was , maybe still is, used on fields in China. Here too in the Victorian times.

I always do. I'm surprised how many people don't.

Yes, I wash them to remove mud and insects (I've found a caterpillar on my plate before). Mud isn't a food, even if it isn't the most harmful substance in the world.

Not really, unless I see dirt on it. DH always did, but after 20 years is following my lead.

DP works with issuing fertilizer licences to farmers, once you have heard the term abattoir gut content spread for crop benefit you will never not wash.

Apples, pears etc. anything that grows on trees tends to be fine.

Some of the stuff they spread on arable crops is just boak

I wash everything thoroughly except mushrooms because they are usually grown on compost indoors under fairly clean conditions and they go slimy if you wash them.

Everything else wash and where possible peel as well. The only fruit and veg I would eat without washing would be homegrown as I'd know what had been on it - or more to the point what hadn't been on it.

I usually do, because of sprays etc. Also, as a child (long time ago) I used to earn money from fruit picking and I'm afraid some people's hygiene was not all it could be...

I'm quite slovenly in general, with regard to cleaning. However I always wash or peel everything - just can't bear the thought of who else has touched it on its route to me, or the sprays that have been used. Probably totally futile, but it makes me feel better!

I wash and rinse all fruit and veges unless I'm peeling.Once peeled I'll still rinse. Not sure how beneficial it is but just feel cleaner. Also, don't like the thought of people sneezing on and pawing stuff with unwashed hands in shops so I just give it all a rinse.

Yes. To remove pesticides and chemicals and suchlike.

I only buy organic but ALWAYS wash it, you do all know ORGANIC IS GROWN IN SHIT, right? Including HUMAN SHIT? Take it from someone who lives on an organic farm & guess where all of the septic tanks are emptied? That's right, all over your lovely veg!

i wash most veg, and often soak my own (to get the slugs out)

Definately wash all fruit and veg in the house before eating it after chat with Environmental Health officer on her last check this year (business related I get checks every few years) I always did it for business 'clients' anyway but sometimes not for myself.

The amounts of bacteria found in soil these days is staggering and I really dont want to be giving myself or my kids e-coli etc via fruit & veg.

If you could smell what goes on the crop fields around here these days you would wash it too

I really don't see how rinsing something under cold water is going to get rid of pesticides and shit!