How to Take Care Of Vegetables and Fruits During COVID-19 Spread

Vegetables Care during COVID-19

Federal health officials estimate that nearly 48 million people are sickened by food contaminated with harmful germs each year, and some of the causes might surprise you.

Fruits and vegetables go through quite a journey before they make it into your crisper drawers, and along the way, they pick up things you don’t want to be eating, including wax, dirt, and chemical pesticides. They can also harbor pathogens that cause foodborne illness, an issue that affects one in six Americans every year according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

COVID-19 adds another threat to the list of things that might be lurking on your fruits and vegetables, and that’s germs from people who may have touched the produce before you purchased it. That being said, a reality check is helpful here. The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) notes that there is currently no evidence of COVID-19 transmission through food or food packaging. The need to sanitize fruits and vegetables before consuming them is still mostly related to those aforementioned wax, dirt, chemicals, and pathogens, with extra steps right now providing more peace of mind than anything.

How to Safely Wash Fruits and Vegetables

Effectively washing your fruits and veggies before eating them is actually a lot easier than you might assume. Here’s how to do it.

DO wash your hands first.

 You don’t want to accidentally transfer germs from your hands to your product before and after washing them. Follow the established guideline of washing your hands with soap and water for a full 20 seconds, and then you can go grab your food items. Hand sanitizer is sufficient here too.

DON’T wash produces items before you’re ready to eat them.

 Moisture is a perfect habitat for bacteria to prosper in. If you wash fruits and vegetables before you’re ready to consume them, you run the risk of creating an environment where additional bacteria can thrive. This bacteria isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it can speed up the process of your produce going bad, which is not ideal in the best of times. 

DO use just warm water.

 There has been a lot of information spreading around about proper washing methods at home in a time of the coronavirus. Stick to warm water and give each fruit or veggie a thorough rinse for at least 30 seconds before consumption, even if you’re planning to peel it and/or cook it. 

DON’T forget to be thorough.

 A warm water rinse is all that you should need to make your fruits and veggies safe to eat, but the technique is important here. If you’re washing lettuce, cabbage, or similar leafy greens, remove the outer layer of greens before washing. Remove the leaves from other fruits and vegetables too before cleaning, and get rid of any damaged or bruised spots, which can harbor bacteria.

For items like apples, potatoes, carrots, and other hard fruits and vegetables, use a vegetable brush during the cold water rinse to scrub the surface. For softer produce items like berries, tomatoes, and mushrooms, use your hands to gently but firmly rub the item while it’s being rinsed.

DO consider a baking soda bath if you want to take it a step further. 

If warm water just doesn’t sound like enough to you, then an extra step would be a baking soda bath. A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that a baking soda soak was the most effective method of removing pesticide residue from apples.

To do a baking soda bath, clean and sanitize your kitchen sink, and then fill it with warm water. Next, add your baking soda—about a teaspoon should be sufficient, though you can add up to a few tablespoons if you prefer. Add your fruits and vegetables to the bath and let soak for 12 to 15 minutes, then scrub harder items and those with rinds with a vegetable brush. Thoroughly dry all items before eating.

It’s hard not to overthink everything that we bring into our homes right now, but when it comes to food from the grocery store, it helps to be able to separate fact from fiction—especially when the facts show that it’s not as concerning as you might think. Follow the tips above to sanitize fruits and vegetables and you should have nothing to worry about.