Due to the current circumstances with the COVID-19 global pandemic, this has ignited concerns by many people speculating whether more aggressive washing techniques should be used when washing their fruit and vegetables. In response to this, health professionals have advised that using pervasive substances are unnecessary and global pandemic or not, individuals should be adequately washing their fresh fruit and vegetables to remove germs and any unwanted residues from their surfaces before eating them.
How to do this? The first steps even before washing the fruit and vegetables, is that the individual washes their hands with soap and water and ensure that any utensils or surfaces that the fresh produce may come into contact with is thoroughly cleaned.
The next steps of washing the fruit will depend on the characteristics of the produce. Fruit including apples and pears and vegetables like potatoes that have firmer skins can be brushed with a clean, soft bristle to remove any residues and must be washed before peeling to prevent surface bacteria from reaching the inside of the produce. Leafy greens, which include spinach, lettuce and bok choy should be submerged in a bowl of cool water, swished and rinsed off with fresh water. With delicate produce, including berries or mushrooms which can fall apart can be cleaned with a steady stream of water and gently using fingers to remove any grit on the surface.
Fruit and vegetables offer an abundance of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants which can enrich an individual’s diet once the effective cleaning methods which were mentioned above are applied.
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