Is your produce clean enough to eat?
So you've made a commitment to eat more
fruits and vegetables. That's certainly a step toward good health and
more energy. You know how to pick the ripest tomato and the perfect
pepper. But do you know the best way to wash the produce you chose so
carefully?
Chances are, like most people, you've never given
much thought to washing your fruits and vegetables. While research shows
that 80 to 90 percent of consumers do wash their produce before they use
it, the majority of people use a quick rinse with tap water. While
that's a good start, it doesn't protect you against chemical residue and
people-handling residues that are found on fruits and vegetables.
The problem starts with crops in the field. Crops are treated with
petroleum-based pesticides and other agricultural chemicals that are
specifically engineered to be waterproof so they won't wash off due to
rain or irrigation.
Then, once it's harvested, produce from grapes to broccoli is treated
with a wax coating, both to make it look nice and shiny in the grocery
store and to prolong its shelf life. The wax coating traps chemicals and
other contaminants such as soil. Even organic produce may still carry a
light coating of water-resistant wax. Water alone doesn't break down
that wax coating to reach the underlying contaminants.
And here's another unappetizing thought: as many as 20 strangers may
have handled your produce before you put it in your cart, from field
workers to the person stocking the shelves at your local supermarket to
other shoppers. Armed with information like this, some consumers resort
to using soap or even bleach to clean their produce.
The intention is good, but using non-food grade products on food you're
going to eat could be potentially harmful. However, there are products
formulated especially for use with produce, such as Veggie Wash. This
all-natural product uses ingredients from citrus, corn and coconut to
remove harmful substances. "The lemon oil really helps to break down and
cut through the wax," says Steve Barker of Beaumont Products, the
company that makes Veggie Wash.
Veggie Wash safely and effectively removes wax, soil and agricultural
residue found on standard and organic produce. It cuts through the wax
and chemicals to leave fruits and vegetables clean and safer to eat.
It's easy to use and doesn't mean any more time in the kitchen for busy
consumers. For example, for firm produce such as apples or peppers,
simply spray thoroughly with Veggie Wash, rub with your hands for 20 to
30 seconds and then rinse thoroughly with water before eating.
For softer or less easily handled produce, simply "swish" - dip, agitate
and rinse - in a diluted mixture of water and Veggie Wash.
After choosing the ripest, freshest produce you can find, it makes sense
to take care to wash, store and cook it in a way that maintains its
color, taste and health benefits.
--Courtesy of ARA Content
Read more about pesticides
and chemicals in the article
"Watch your mouth" by Lisa Petty
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As seen and recommended in
THE TIMES (Sept 18,
2004) and featured as one of ...
THE BEST.....eco-friendly cleaning
products in
THE WEEK magazine (issue 2 October 2004).
Customer feedback
“We started using Citrus Magic VEGGIE WASH
three years ago in our fruit washing process prior to manufacture of our
conserves. We find it more than satisfactory for our requirements, and
would recommend the product for similar uses”
Thursday Cottage Ltd., / Wilkin & Sons Ltd.,
Tiptree Colchester Essex
Consistently Most
Contaminate with Pesticides
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Cherries
Grapes (imported)
Nectarines
Peaches
Pears
Potatoes
Red Raspberries
Spinach
Strawberries
Consistently have Lowest Levels of Pesticides
Asparagus
Avocados
Bananas
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Corn (sweet)
Kiwi
Mangos
Onions
Papaya
Pineapples
Peas (sweet)
The Environmental Working
Group developed this list based on research conducted by the USDA and
FDA collected from 1992-2001. (www.foodnews.org)
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If you have any comments
about Citrus Magic Products or the use of non-chemical cleaning
products, please e-mail
them to us. |
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