how do you remove pesticide residue from produce?

[JitterbugPerfume]

I rinse all of my produce in vinegar and then in cold water, but i am not sure it is doing any good .

Any suggestions?

I can not afford to buy organic all of the time.

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. yoo hoo anybody home?

:hi:

[flvegan]

2. Peter Jaret says

What if I can't find or afford organic produce -- is there any way to remove pesticide residues?

Yes. Thoroughly washing apples, grapes, spinach, and other produce in water can remove up to 90 percent of pesticide residues. Peeling fruit and using a vegetable scrubber can also help remove residues. It's wise to carefully clean all produce, whether it's conventional or organic, since it can be contaminated with bacteria in the process of being picked and shipped.

[JitterbugPerfume]

5. with all of the news about E-coli and other evil bugs

it is even more important to thoroughly wash produce

[CrispyQ]

8. Besides the pesticides, just watch the shoppers in the produce department

& I can't imagine why anyone would not wash their produce before eating! I wash mine with soap & water & if it can stand a stiff veggie brush I use that too.

And a little off topic, I'm surprised how few people wash their hands before eating. I'm not a germ-a-phobic, but come on, before you eat or prepare food, washing your hands should be a no-brainer.

[JitterbugPerfume]

9. hand washing is the #1 preventer of germ spreading!

Thanks CrispyQGirl--- an avid reader and an all around cool person!:hi:

[silverweb]

3. I've made my own spray.

I keep a spray bottle by the sink filled with white vinegar and a little squirt of Seventh Generation dish soap (to act as a surfactant).

It works very well on produce and cleaning the counters!

:hi:

[JitterbugPerfume]

4. Thanks

I LIKE the idea of using soap. I bought some almonds that you can literally SMELL the insecticide on !

I paid over $6 , and I am afraid to eat them! A few years ago , I never dreamed that the time would come that I would be afraid to eat every day foods

[silverweb]

6. You're welcome!

The vinegar mix is really effective and so inexpensive to make.

I hope your almonds came out all right!

[JitterbugPerfume]

7. I have them drying in the sun right now

Time will tell!

[JitterbugPerfume]

10. they came out fine

the taste is actually improved They are not very "crispy" , but they weren't in the first place . I also washed my walnuts , and they are also improved in taste AND Chrisy after some time drying in the sun.!


sometimes I feel like a nut , sometimes I don't:silly:

[silverweb]

11. Glad to hear it.

Sounds like the fresh-wash/sun-dry process works great for nuts and laundry! :D

[CrispyQ]

12. I never would have thought to wash nuts.

Harr!

I loved those Almond Joy/Mounds commercials!

:hi:

[JudyM]

13. trader joe's markets a bottle of fruit/veg wash that makes stuff squeeky clean.

There's info our there, too, identifying the fruits and veggies that are most likely to contain higher levels of residual pesticide, so you can decide what to buy organic based on that. I remember stawberries and celery were high on the list, so I make it a point to buy them from the organic market or to scrub/soak them especially well.

[JitterbugPerfume]

14. I love Trader Joe's

unfortunately I have to travel 150 miles to Indianapolis to get to one! Now that my sister is moving from that area, I wont have as many excuses--reasons to go to Indy.


Curses~ and shame on her for getting married and moving to England.

[Tumbulu]

15. root vs leaf vs fruit

Each plant is "protected" from pests in different ways and with different classes of chemicals.

Generally root veggies (potatoes, onions, garlic, beets) are "protected" with systemic pesticides. These are applied to the soil and the plant picks them up and moves them to all cells within the plant. These cannot be washed off as they are within the tissues.

Pesticides on leaf veggies can generally be washed off.

Above ground fruit produce such as beans, peas, and classic fruits tend to have been "protected" by both systemic and surface pesticides. The longer it takes the fruit to develop the more likely the fruit will have residues that are not possible to be washed off. Apples and bananas tend to have residues that cannot be washed off.

Grains are generally very low in pesticides.

The most typical pesticide residues on vegetables are the fungicides. They are usually classified as testosterone disruptors in mammals.

The most typical pesticide residue that accumulate in fats of animals (thus making it important if one consumes animal products they they only eat organic versions of these) are the estrogen mimicking compounds.

I hope that this is helpful.