Not going to eat the rind? Wash it anyway! How many times have you cut an avocado in half without washing it? Most of us probably do this almost every time. But we shouldn’t. Food borne pathogens don’t live inside fruits and vegetables, they live outside, on the skin, peel, or rind. Remember the listeria deaths from unwashed cantaloupes the other summer? When you’re slicing into a melon, you’re drawing those germs into the one-safe inside with every stroke of the knife. And can you really say that you’re able to peel an orange without ever touching the flesh after you’ve touched the skin? And remember that lemon wedge you squeezed and then dropped in your iced tea? Wonder what was on that peel!
Same goes for pesticides. Think your organic watermelon is 100% germ free? Don’t try fooling yourself when it comes to your health! Even organically grown produce can have germs or junk on it by the time it gets to your cutting board from the the farm, supplier, and all the fingers that have touched it at the grocery store.
It’s easy to forget to wash produce when you know you don’t eat the inside, so make it a habit to wash everything before you prepare it. And make sure you wash your hands after handling unwashed produce, too! Fit Veggie Wash is a good way to make sure your fruits and veggies are going to be good for you. You can make your own with baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice, then rinse well and serve!
Here’s a list of produce items people frequently -and mistakenly -think are okay to skip washing”
Avocados
Pineapples
Melons
Artichokes
Winter squash (pumpkins, acorn, etc.)
Bananas, when are sliced with a knife
Kiwis
Can you think of any others?
Read the entire article here: Avoid Many Food-Based Pathogens and Wash Produce Before Cutting
