Just out of curiosity, how thoroughly do you wash your fruit and vegetables?

[LarryVeestAdamAntSpawnChorus]

I'm not convinced that my standard of fruit and veg cleaning is likely to remove pesticides etc. For example I would rinse grapes and berries in a colander for about 20 seconds, swishing them about with my hand. A cucumber might get 5 seconds of gentle rubbing. Root vegetables are rubbed until they are non-muddy.

Organic stuff gets even less attention...more a symbolic ablution really.

I'm guessing that I'd need to give the non-organic stuff a thorough scubbing to remove pesticides / fertilisers etc but wouldn't that ruin it?

I don't.

Obviously not thoroughly enough as ds found a cooked caterpillar in broccoli during dinner last night

Having seen the state of the inside of a fruit packing palnt I wash everything alot. The people that work there have to wear a hat and coat but there is no real hygiene as it is classed as a Low Risk environment - it is assumed that the customer will wash and peel things.

I buy organic and would peel carrots so don't wash, would wash potatoes to get mud off them and never wash apples.

not at all

depends. if it's something i grew myself i just rinse the soil off.

otherwise, i usually soak in water with apple cider vinegar.

I always wash organic stuff having seen somewhere disgusting where some was grown . And any veg that says wash before eating (My reasoning is that the suppliers must know something I don't)

My SIL berated me for not washing fruit and vegetables enough "because of all the chemicals!" ....... as she puffed on one of her 40 daily cigarettes.

Soaking veg or fruit destroys the soluble vits such as vit c - if you soak them no point eating them.