Does Washing Your Produce Eliminate Chemical Residues?

Pesticides residues found on produce conventionally grown are given more attention and focused due to their potential health threat. Since the produce is not exposed to harmful exposure, many people are turning to organic for their health benefits. For others, they may turn to conventional produce that can save money. They believe that with a thorough washing the chemical residues can be removed from this conventional produce. Which of this view is correct? Does washing the produce wash the pesticides residues too?

To remove superficial dirt it is always good practice to wash any produce even though it is unlikely to remove all the chemical residue and pesticides completely. The risk of contracting a bacterial illness like Salmonella is also reduced when the produce are washed. Most pesticides and chemicals have the capability to contaminate the produce when the chemicals have penetrated through its skin. Potential exposure to the harmful pesticides is there since you can’t remove the chemical residues from the interior of the fruit or vegetables. Unlucky enough, traces of pesticides and chemical residues are detected from over seventy percent of conventional produce samples.

In the near recent, there has been produce that’s entering the market which claim superior than ordinary water that can clean chemical residues better. Effective as they are in removing the pesticides from the surface, they may be ineffective in cleaning the interior. No doubt they will remove the dangerous chemicals on the surface through a thorough cleaning. However, using a diluted solution of vinegar which is cheap and easy to make at home is also as effective as using the commercial produce. Even that plus peeling the fruit or vegetable will not eliminate the pesticides exposure, though it will likely reduce them.

Another way to reduce your exposure is to purchase the most highly sprayed fruits and vegetable organically grown. Unless you can shop for all organic, continue buying them and for the remaining go for conventional fruits and vegetables. Spinach, peaches, bell peppers, nectarines, strawberries, pears, grapes, cherries, lettuce, potatoes, celery and pears are some fruits and vegetables with a high potential for pesticides residues. It is good to thoroughly washed and peeled your fruits and vegetables to remove the chemical residues from their surface.

You can reduce your exposure to pesticides and chemical residues by up to 90% if you can add these measures and continue doing them when washing your produce. After all, if it protects the health of you and your family, why not?

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