How To Wash Fruits And Vegetables: FSSAI Shares Guidelines

Healthwire Bureau

There is often a dilemma on how to handle fruits and vegetables that we get from the market. Should we wash them? Should we consume them immediately? Or, should we use them next morning?

There is no evidence that COVID-19 spreads through food either cooked or raw. It is the handling by people that could cause potential contamination. Discarding all packaging, washing fresh fruits and veggies under running water, storing in clean containers and cooking at the right temperature are the basic food safety norms that should address this issue.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent or commercial produce wash is not recommended.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also doesn’t recommend washing fruits and vegetables with soap, detergent or commercial produce wash. Soap or detergent residues can stay on produce.

The Partnership for Food Safety Education, recommends cleaning produce properly gently run under cold running water. If you do have a tough exterior to your produce, like melon or pineapple, use a clean stiff bristled brush under running water.

The CDC gives even more detail regarding washing fresh produce. They recommend cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting or cooking unless the package says the produce have been washed (like packaged triple washed baby spinach).

Now, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has shared some guidelines for the proper cleaning of vegetables and fruits to prevent the spread of coronavirus through them, even as there is no certainty yet about whether the virus can be transmitted via food items or not.

In a Twitter post, the official handle of FSSAI shared a 5-tip graphic to guide people on how they should wash their fruits and vegetables to maintain their safety.

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