The food that we consume daily require the necessary cleaning and disinfection to ensure that they do not make you sick. Vegetables, because of their contact with soils and the necessary journey they are exposed to from harvest to the final hands of consumers, are fully exposed to bacteria, dirt and many microorganisms that can make you sick. So here are the most effective solutions to disinfect and clean your vegetables in the same way that we teach you how to disinfect and clean green beans.
Soil, fertilizers, pesticides and organic residues, in addition to the necessary handling, transport and distribution, create an environment especially prone to fruits, vegetables and greens becoming contaminated with harmful and hazardous elements. You can see many of them and others can’t, so you must offer an excellent to ensure that they can be consumed safely. The aim is to achieve a high level of food safety by current regulations, allowing us to enjoy clean food free of hazards.
How to clean and disinfect your vegetables
Generally, you fall unconscious of not cleaning vegetables and fruits properly, thinking that just because they are available in a supermarket they are already free of dirt and dangerous germs. While water could eliminate the vast majority of them, it is often important to go further and ensure that these foods are healthy and do not pose any health risks.
Recalling what has been said by experts, where efficient disinfection and cleaning of vegetables and fruits, as well as all foods from the field, is a must to reduce many of the annoying diseases effectively gastrointestinal allergic skin reactions and infections by bacteria that can be very dangerous in pregnant women, children, immunocompromised and elderly adults.
Cleaning and disinfection according to vegetable type
1. Cleaning of leafy vegetables
For this type of vegetable, you must have a separate and individualized cleaning of each of the leaves; among them, you have lettuce, chard, and spinach. Wash them under running water and remove any damaged or deteriorated leaves. You can also perfectly use a bowl with water and save a lot of water, leaving them submerged for a few minutes to ensure the total elimination of soil residues. You mustn’t forget to dry each of the leaves because this humidity will accelerate the deterioration process of the leaves.
2. Disinfection of vegetables with edible skins
Many of the vegetables and fruits you eat allow their outer skin to be eaten or used in your preparations; such as cucumbers, pears, or peppers. This type of food should be washed directly underwater, and depending on the amount of dirt; it is recommended to rub them with a soft brush. When maintaining an edible skin, try as much as possible to omit the use of soaps because many of them have porous skins, which could absorb the detergent, and smooth leafy vegetables should be dried to prevent the deterioration process is accelerated by moisture.
3. Washing vegetables with edible skin
In this range are pineapples, bananas, pumpkins and melons. This type of food has the peculiarity of having skins that are not consumed but which must be cleaned before consumption or storage. Remember that bacteria and dirt accumulated outside could infect their internal and edible parts when cut.
You can use plenty of water and rub the surface with a cloth or a soft brush to ensure complete removal of any hazardous agents and allow the use of special soaps or vinegar and water solution. As a final recommendation, always try to use 2 different knives, one to remove the skin and the other to cut the inner part of these vegetables or fruits.
Disinfection methods to use for your vegetables and fruits
Although the market is flooded with multiple cleaning products for your vegetables, these are entirely chemical. The best option will always be to resort to cheap and natural products, which are always available in your home and maintain excellent cleaning properties for your food.
- The infallible vinegar: Catalogued as one of the most versatile products for disinfecting and cleaning any type of surface, product or food. Dilute one cup of vinegar per liter of water and allow your vegetables to soak in this solution for at least 10 minutes, then remove and rinse them.
- Iodine as an ally: Iodine is one of the most powerful bactericides you can get and although its use is not very widespread, it represents a viable, fast and long-lasting alternative in disinfection, eliminating fungi, viruses and bacteria. Dilute it using a few drops per liter of water and soak your vegetables for 20 minutes. Its action is perfect for leafy vegetables, as well as for vegetables and fleshy fruits.
- Mix vinegar, baking soda and lemon for a great effect: The high concentrations of citric acid contained in lemons make it ideal for antibacterial and disinfectant properties. When combined with vinegar and baking soda, it produces one of the most powerful natural disinfectants, capable of eliminating pathogens from fruits and vegetables. Use three parts water to 1 part lemon and 1 part vinegar with a teaspoon of baking soda, soak your food in this solution for 10 minutes, and proceed to rinse; a method that is fully recommended for potatoes, beets, carrots and all tubers.
- Hydrogen peroxide: Although it may seem strange to you, hydrogen peroxide is capable of being used in the kitchen, it has disinfectant properties and is a perfect fungicide with which you can clean and disinfect your vegetables, guaranteeing the elimination of fungi. Dilute 20 milliliters per 1/2 liter of water and let your vegetables soak for a few minutes before rinsing. This method is widely used for tomatoes and vegetables with smooth skins like peppers.
Remember that many pathogens, bacteria, and fungi are not visible to the human eye. Hence a correct and conscientious cleaning is the most efficient method to avoid getting sick due to an inadequate disinfection o cleaning of your fruits, vegetables, and in general all the vegetables you use in the preparation of your dishes. Try these easy cleaning methods you have just learned and enjoy clean and sanitized food and vegetables for a delicious, nutritious and above all very safe meal.