Handle with care: Why you need to wash fruits and veggies

By roselidell // 2021-02-16

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People handle animal products carefully to prevent illness and contamination, but not everyone knows that you should be just as careful when handling fruits and vegetables. Pesticides can help farmers grow more food, but these harmful chemicals are linked to various health risks. Even if you want to protect your family from pesticide-laden produce, it can be hard to avoid these chemicals since various non-targeted crops are still being exposed to pesticides. The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization, warns that at least 70 percent of fruits and vegetables in America have pesticide residue, even after washing.

Here's why you need to wash produce

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 48 million people get sick from eating contaminated food annually. To prevent this, you should always thoroughly wash fruits and vegetables before cooking or eating them. If you purchase fruits or veggies that the manufacturer has prewashed, you can opt not to rinse them again at home. However, you face two risks when consuming unwashed fruits and vegetables: bacterial contamination and pesticides. In the last few years, outbreaks of foodborne illnesses have been caused by bacteria growing on produce like cantaloupe, lettuce, spinach and tomatoes. If you consume contaminated fruits and veggies, you can get sick or require hospitalization. In 2016, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked into an outbreak of listeriosis. The agency reported that 19 patients were hospitalized and one person died due to the outbreak. In January 2019, the CDC, FDA and health officials in several states, as well as in Canada, traced an outbreak of Escherichia coli infections from contaminated romaine lettuce. The E. coli outbreak infected 62 people in 16 states. Thankfully, there were no recorded deaths.

Contamination health risks

Fruits and vegetables can be infected with harmful bacteria at different stages. In the growing phase, contamination may occur through animal contact, harmful substances in soil or water, or poor hygiene. Fruits and vegetables can also become contaminated after harvesting. Finally, produce can become contaminated after buying them from stores, especially if you don't store or prepare them properly. Fresh fruits and veggies can also contain germs like E. coli, Listeria or Salmonella that can make people very sick. Some people are more vulnerable to foodborne illnesses than others. The following people may be more at risk of food poisoning from contaminated produce:

Children younger than five years old
Pregnant women and their babies
Adults 65 and older
People with weakened immune systems

Symptoms of foodborne illness may include:

Diarrhea (can be bloody)
Fatigue
Fever
Headaches
Muscle aches
Stomach cramps
Vomiting

You might also mistake a foodborne illness for the "stomach flu" because they have similar symptoms. However, a foodborne illness is caused by a pathogen like a bacterium, parasite or virus in contaminated foods or drinks. Severe Listeria infections can cause symptoms like confusion, convulsions, loss of balance and a stiff neck. Listeriosis is often caused by eating food contaminated with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Each year, at least 1,600 patients get listeriosis and at least 260 people die.

Tips for washing fruits and vegetables

You need to consume fruits and vegetables regularly to maintain your overall health. Fresh produce is nutritious, low-calorie and fiber-rich, and taking extra steps like washing fruits and vegetables can help prevent foodborne illnesses. Before eating fruits and vegetables, the FDA recommends:

Washing your hands thoroughly before and after food preparation.
Rubbing produce under running water.
Using a clean vegetable brush to scrub hard produce like cucumbers and melons.
Drying fruits and vegetables with a clean cloth.
Removing the outermost leaves of leafy veggies like cabbage and lettuce.
Cutting away damaged areas before preparing or eating produce.
Rinsing produce that has skin before peeling it. This prevents dirt and bacteria from transferring to the edible parts.
Storing fresh, perishable produce in the refrigerator at or below 40 F (4 C).

Don't wash produce with soap or other cleaning products. Follow the tips below when preparing meat and poultry:

Use separate cutting boards for fruits and vegetables, poultry, raw meats and seafood.
Use separate utensils for cooked and raw foods.
Store produce and poultry, raw meat or seafood in separate areas in the fridge.

Pesticides and produce

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) publishes an annual report of their findings on pesticide residues in foods. Shockingly, most produce still contain pesticide residue even after washing. According to the USDA, more than 99 percent of the products they have sampled had residues below the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designated limits. In the 2017 annual summary of the Pesticide Data Program, the USDA released a list of produce that contained pesticide levels that exceeded EPA recommended limits. The list included:

Asparagus
Cucumbers
Fresh cranberries
Kale
Onions
Snap peas
Sweet potatoes

The USDA also found samples of produce with residues that did not have a tolerance in the Code of Federal Regulations. The USDA considers these samples as having violated pesticide tolerances. The list of fruits and veggies include:

Asparagus
Cranberries
Cucumber
Grapefruit
Lettuce
Mangoes
Onions
Snap peas
Sweet potatoes

You can avoid pesticides by buying certified organic products. Organic farmers must follow strict rules from the USDA to ensure that their crops are pesticide-free. While the USDA allows organic farmers to use certain pesticides as a last resort for pest control, only naturally occurring microorganisms, plant-based insecticides and certain approved synthetic substances are allowed. Prepare and store food properly and always wash produce to ensure that your family consumes pesticide-free fruits and veggies. You can also buy organic produce to avoid any harmful chemicals in your food and prevent foodborne illnesses. Sources: MedicalNewsToday.com Health.State.MN.US CDC.gov