When cooking, washing vegetables is the most common and important part of the process. It directly affects your food safety. If vegetables are not washed properly, there may be pesticide residues. How can we wash vegetables and reduce pesticide residues? Let's see what the experts have to say.
1. Should we cut or wash first?
Cutting first may cause oxidation and nutrient loss
Regarding whether washing vegetables after cutting them can more effectively remove pesticide residues, Dong Jinshi said that in general, it is not recommended to cut vegetables before washing them. After cutting, the cut surface of the vegetables is exposed to air and may be oxidized. In addition, during the washing process, some pesticide residues may adhere to the cut surface of the vegetables. Therefore, it is more scientific to wash before cutting.
Li Guangping also said that the practice of cutting before washing is actually unscientific, and it is recommended that people wash before cutting. Cutting vegetables will cause damage to the surface of the vegetables, and soaking them afterwards will also result in nutrient loss.
2. Is flour water or rice water better?
As for the claim that using flour water can remove pesticide residues from vegetables, Dong Jinshi said that using flour water to wash vegetables is also acceptable, but it is worth noting that compared to rice water, the alkalinity of flour water is slightly lower, and its ability to decompose pesticide residues, especially phosphorus-containing pesticides, may be lower. Rice water can usually hydrolyze some phosphorus-containing pesticides and reduce their toxicity.
3. Are fruit and vegetable cleansers or rice water better?
Fruit and vegetable cleansers are also a choice for many people to wash vegetables. It is understood that many products on the market are labeled with natural salt and surfactants as their ingredients, and some claim to be made from natural materials through high-temperature processing and refining, which can remove pesticide residues, bacteria, polishers, and colorants on the surface of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. Can fruit and vegetable cleansers remove pesticide residues from vegetables while ensuring safety?
Regarding this, Dong Jinshi told reporters that using fruit and vegetable cleansers to wash vegetables is a good practice, and if the quality of the cleanser can be guaranteed, the cleansing effect is generally better than that of rice water. However, it should be noted that some fruit and vegetable cleansers contain chemical ingredients, and compared to the above methods, their safety is sometimes relatively poor.
4. Can diluted saltwater dissolve pesticide residues?
Dong Jinshi, Secretary General of the International Food Packaging Association, suggests using diluted saltwater to wash vegetables. The concentration of diluted saltwater should be similar to the saltwater we use for gargling. As for the length of time for washing vegetables, Dong Jinshi said that they can be soaked in diluted saltwater for 3-5 minutes, and then rinsed with clean water. The reason why washing vegetables with diluted saltwater is recommended, Dong Jinshi explained, is firstly, diluted saltwater itself has a sterilizing effect compared to clean water.
In addition, diluted saltwater has a greater solubility for formaldehyde, which can dissolve any formaldehyde residues that may exist in vegetables. Dong Jinshi also said that not only vegetables, but new clothes can also be soaked in diluted saltwater to remove any formaldehyde residues they may contain. Finally, some vegetables may contain pesticide residues, and soaking them in diluted saltwater can also dissolve these substances and reduce the pesticide residues that may exist in vegetables.
5. Is it necessary to peel vegetables when rinsing?
Regarding methods for removing pesticide residues from vegetables, Li Guangping suggests that experiments have shown that rinsing with clean water repeatedly can effectively remove pesticide residues from vegetables. In addition, regarding the question of whether using saltwater, baking soda water, flour water, or rice water can more effectively remove pesticide residues from vegetables, Li Guangping said that through experiments, it was found that compared to rinsing with clean water repeatedly, these methods actually have their own characteristics in removing pesticide residues from vegetables, and cannot be generalized.
Li Guangping explained that for example, when it comes to cucumbers, using baking soda water to wash them in the spring is more effective in removing pesticide residues, but it should be noted that this method is not suitable for all types of vegetables, because different vegetables may have different pesticide residues. For example, when it comes to snap peas, the effect of washing them with baking soda water is not as significant as with cucumbers. Therefore, it is difficult to generalize which method is more effective. Additionally, it should not be ignored that in the summer, due to high temperatures, flour water and rice water are prone to microbial growth. Overall, rinsing with clean water repeatedly and peeling are both good choices.
After reading so much, there is no need to worry about washing vegetables anymore. Let's eat with peace of mind!
