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?

As an allotmenteer I grow my own organic fruit and veg, which sees me through a lot of the year. So yes, I definitely have to wash it. It comes out of the ground absolutely filthy - but that also helps preserve the nutrients and the taste. Supermarkets do a lot of washing down of everything now, and I'm not sure it does the produce that much good?

Having grown stuff myself - and knowing the quantities of manure that are used on both organic and non-organic produce - I would definitely wash things before eating! Both organic and non-organic may also be covered in pesticide, which is worth removing. This isn't just about getting food poisoning, but about the long-term consequences of consuming some of those chemicals. In many cases, there just isn't enough evidence to be certain whether they do or don't do harm.

I totally get why you might want to wash fruit and veg, but I can't see how a quick rinse in cold water ("takes seconds" as a PP stated) would kill or remove bacteria and viruses or pesticides designed to withstand rain and watering.
Would you consider your hands were clean after using the loo if you just rinsed them briefly in cold water or would you use soap and hot water? We are talking about removing the same kind of bacteria and viruses.

Ref. spraying. My cousin is married to a greek olive farmer. Every time it rains they spray their olive trees in the fields. Apart from the ones they grow around their house for their own consumption , interesting huh?

I always used buy organic olive oil when I could, but now there is no way I would buy anything else.

What amuses me is that bags of people where disgusted at the idea of double dipping a spoon whilst preparing food

I couldn't give a shiny shit about that either.

polly those studies were from cancer research. Do you really think they were biased?

It's weird because I always wash veg (unless it is being peeled anyway) but I often don't bother for fruit. Totally illogical.

I should have been clearer earlier: those who say that they are eating veg unwashed just aren't I'm afraid. There's no way in hell any of you would want to eat an unwashed leek or potato or carrot. I don't think you'd even be able to bring yourself to do it! They are covered - and I mean COVERED - in dirt.

The veg has already been washed by the supermarket. Potatoes do not come out of the ground lovely and white and clean like you buy them in bags! When you wash at home, you're doing so for a second time and removing any residue that is left.

I give most fruit and veg a very token rinse under the tap (god knows if that actually does anything), unless there's any obvious dirt in which case I rub and rinse it. Only exception is spinach and open bunches of herbs (i.e. not in plastic packets) which even if they dont look dirty can be gritty without a thorough rinse.

Here's a picture of some red and golden baby beetroot I just pulled out of the ground. This is the normal state of root crops! You can't even peel it without washing first or you smear the dirt all over the fresh surface.

Lucky\clever you with those lovely beetroot shovetheholly Even unwashed they look so wholesome

ppeat - aw, you're lovely! But they are very easy to grow where I am - they like it cool with plenty of moisture and those are the conditions I have. Don't get me started on my 3 years of carrot DISASTERS in which I have managed to grow a grand total of 6 - yes 6 - that were actually edible!

sleepystorm I'd already addressed that point re cancer research in an earlier post.

The way that Cancer Research works is they provide funding to various scientists to do research. (A close relative of mine was a researcher for them once.)

The scientists often have their own ideas which they them try to prove through research and stats. Other scientists who don't work for Cancer Research do other research and produce different results.

One example of the difference is Val Beral whose work on HRT has been blown out of the water by many equally eminent researchers, but as she was funded by CR her stats are the ones they publish.

You have to dig a bit deeper with these things rather than just swallowing whole evidence on one site.

This is a genuine (perhaps stupid) question but I haven't RTFT, so sorry if it's been covered.

How do you wash iceberg lettuce? Just the outer layer? There are so many layers! We like to eat it in chunks!

I cut a segment out of an Iceberg- like it were a cake- so a quarter or whatever. Separate the leaves by hand or slice into smaller pieces, then put in a collendar, under running water, turning the leaves over a few times to they get a good rinse.

PLEASE READ
My nan is currently in hospital and has been since the 6th December when she was bluelighted into ICU and put into a coma and on a ventilator...because of two things...1 - pneumonia, she was not generally unwell, just had a cough but fell desperately ill after going to bed that night. 2 - Giardia - usually a bug caught in 3rd world countries but the hospital are CONVINCED she got it from bagged pre-washed salad!! It took three weeks on treatment before getting a clear stool sample. Her function isn't normal yet and the reason a month on she is still in hospital. It has also damaged her bowel. Her bed and carpet have been contaminated and Infection Control have said for it to be removed from the house and the insurance company have to replace these items.
I know this is an EXTREME case and I've never heard of it before but it is happening to us now. I'm making sure I wash EVERYTHING!

polly

My OH is a scientist. He says there is no reliable scientific evidence whatsoever that pesticides cause cancer. I'll take his word for it.

But there is speculation about herbicides.

Oh he's a scientist is he?
Well that sorts it. LOL

Unless he's a world renowned expert on the use of pesticides and has produced vast amounts of peer reviewed papers on the topic, forgive me if I retain my scepticism.

Glyphosate, yes, but it's no longer used.

I never said you couldn't be sceptical, you can be whatever you like. But unless you're a world renowned expert on the subject which I very much doubt, do dispense with the scaremongering drama.

I Always wash fruit/veg that won't be peeled. Never even considered anything different. Hmmm.

On the other side I barely even wipe mushrooms and they can look pretty grotty so I'm a bit of a contradiction I guess

You are funny. For the record, I don't think I've posted that pesticides etc cause cancer.

Someone posted that the link about chemicals came from Cancer Research and my posts were about the limitations of evidence, not about cause-effect.

So maybe direct your comments elsewhere?

As for me, I'd rather wash away any residues that may be on fruit and veg rather than ingest chemicals that may be harmful. Judging from history it's often decades later that the ill effects are found.

Not washing is playing Russian roulette. You've been lucky so far- stomach acid kills bugs a lot of the time - but there will be a day when your luck runs out

Forgive me but if that wasn't dramatic I don't know what was.

"Glyphosate, yes, but it's no longer used."

I'm afraid glyphosate is still used extensively. In fact, farmers spray wheat crops with it to dry them out when they are ready to harvest. So when you buy non-organic bread, it may well be in there. The WHO notes it as a 'probable carcinogen' at high doses. Given how much wheat we all eat, this concerns me a little.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think glyphosate hasn't been banned yet. There has been a debate abou it, but I think it's been kicked down the path for another 18 months, and also representations from agriculture are trying to prevent it from being banned.

x post shove :)