Washing fruit & Veg Options

[Thelma]

So spinoff from the grapes topic.

How fussy are you about washing your fruit and vegetables?


I must say I rarely wash anything. The only time I was is when there is an obvious something on it.

Anyone know any good reasons for or against washing fruit and veg?

[Princessgirl]

I wash my fruit and veg, even if its a quick rinse under the tap. We also wash the top of cans of drink - you never know where they have been

[Avery]

I always wash my fruit and vege - unless im peeling it

[Cole29*]

Nup, not something I think of unless I can san see with my naked eye that it needs a wash. In 34 years I can't say this has caused me an issue

[AnA927]

I wash my fruit and vege. The only ones I can't be bothers washing is the very inside of a cabbage or lettuce - its so hard to get the water off them once washed.

Oh, and big fruit like watermelon and rock melon - I don't wash them...

[~steph~]

I very rarely used to, however I now do after a storey on 60 minutes I think it was about a brain disease that you can get from snails, even the slime left from them, found a fact sheet on it from NSW health -> factsheet.

Also I don't know if it is still true but I was told by a woolies employee a long time ago that they don't spray their veges and fruit with straight water, they spray it with something that makes them last longer. Who knows if they still use it, or if others use it so to be safe I wash for that as well.

[Gretch]

I've always washed anything that is to be eaten raw. Considering I can see a layer of chemical residue on most fruit bought at supermarket, to me it is madness not to.

I'm extra vigilent when I'm pregnant due to the listeria risk as well.

I've had one gastro type illness as an adult and I attribute this partly to being careful with food preparation (washing fruit, using different chopping boards, washing hands in the kitchen etc.).

[Lizzie1]

Nope I rarely wash them. If I can see dirt or a bug or something then I do, but normally just put them in the bowl or fridge when I get home and eat them as is.

[drom]

Unless it is peelable - I wash it all (fruit and veg).

As Gretch said..... god only knows what pesticides, sprays or chemicals have been used to produce them or keep them lasting longer on the shelf.

Not to mention the many people who have probably handled them before they get to my dinner table.

[Lanny]

Unless it is peelable - I wash it all (fruit and veg).

As Gretch said..... god only knows what pesticides, sprays or chemicals have been used to produce them or keep them lasting longer on the shelf.

Not to mention the many people who have probably handled them before they get to my dinner table.

This is me too! I sometimes even wash before I peel as I figure my hands may rub the chemicals etc and then touch the peeled bit!

Things I don't wash are pumpkins, melons and bananas! Pretty much everything else gets a good wash.

[Daybreak]

I wash everything, at least a quick rinse. That said, I don't really eat fruit, so washing it isn't exactly taking stacks of my time!

[Angel_Elle]

Everything gets washed here, we are in a remote mining/aboriginal town and alot of bugs go around very easily so its just a habit now to wash everything to reduce chances of getting sick.

Nutrimetics sell a product that you can use to wash you fruit and vegies - the difference between an unwashed grape and washed one is quite different.

[Maxi]

We once had a special fruit and veg wash (not Nutrimetics) but it left a sticky (organic) residue on the fruit! It had to be swirled around a lot in warm water first and was a bit of a pain to use.

[Magnolia]

I wash everything, even if it needs to be peeled. Bugs don't worry me in the slightest, but there are untold germs and chemicals on foods so I'd like to wash off as much as possible.

No, I lied - I don't wash mushrooms, but I will wipe them with a damp cloth.

[BlueBug]

You can catch quite a few nasty bugs from unwashed fruit and veg. Mainly bacterial like e coli (common cause of gastro/food poisoning). One of the more nasty ones though is toxoplasmosis which is more harmful during pregnancy as it can cause birth defects.

I wash everything including carrots, potatoes etc as I worry I might transfer germs from the peel while I am peeling it. I am slightly paranoid though