Covid-19: Tips for Properly Cleaning Fruits and Vegetables Before Eating

Corona virus has rapidly spread to many parts of the world, and many countries have been completely or partially locked. Governments are doing their best to ensure that basic commodities are supplied to the public during these tests. Currently, food safety and their handling are critical. Many people adopt practices such as washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent before eating. All of us are taking all precautions to remove the COVID-19 virus. It may be a wise choice to disinfect our hands, houses, drugs, etc. with alcohol disinfectant! But who told us to do the same with food? nobody! However, many people want to subject food to cruel treatment with harmful chemicals like bleach in order to kill the virus, but in fact they are just killing their health. Research shows that these demanding steps are not even needed at all. So far, there is no evidence that corona virus can be spread through food. However, you can follow some precautions and general guidelines to ensure that food is safe and free of bacteria. Following tips may be kept in mind to wash vegetables and fruits before there consumption:

1. Wash your hands before cleaning agricultural products

The importance of washing hands to prevent the spread of Covid-19 cannot be emphasized enough. Even if you want to rinse the vegetables, you must ensure that your hands are clean. Before washing fruit and vegetable products, wash them for at least 20 seconds.

2. Rinse products under running water

All fruit and vegetable products purchased from the market can be rinsed with tap water and then rubbed by hand. This is all you need to clean most vegetables. Rinse agricultural products before peeling to prevent dirt and bacteria from transferring from the knife to fruits or vegetables.

3. Do not use soap or any detergent

It is completely ridiculous to say that cleaning products require soap, detergent or any special liquid. Gently wipe the agricultural products under ordinary running water. No soap or agricultural product cleaning solution is needed. If damage or bruising occurs before eating or handling, it is best to cut off the damaged area before preparing or eating.

4. Use brush or sponge if necessary

When cleaning root vegetables (such as potatoes or carrots), use a vegetable brush or sponge to ensure that all dirt is removed.

5. Certain vegetables and fruits require additional care

The berries require extra attention during the cleaning process. Place them in a colander and rinse under running water to remove pathogens. Similarly, lettuce and green leafy vegetables should be placed in a bowl of cold water. It is recommended removing the outermost leaves of lettuce or cabbage, and then drying them with paper towels for best results.