washing off pesticides

[toexist]

I juice vegetables usually 3 times a week. I understand many of you grow your own. I'm just curious for those of us whom get our vegetables from markets...

How long does one have to wash veggies to thoroughly remove pesticides? Is a quick rinse all u need or is a prolonged wash recommended?

I've always wondered this.

 

[jontte]

depends on the veggie,but I usually give a good scrub under hot water and then a quick rinse, 'cause honestly I do not know if even that takes all pesticides away.

 

[SheilaT.]

You won't remove all residue as by their nature these chemicals ge absorbed into the cells of the fruit and veg they are sprayed on. Here's some blurb from the Food Standards Agency (UK)

Will I get rid of pesticide residues by washing and peeling?
Washing and peeling may help remove residues of certain pesticides. But some pesticides are systemic, which means that they are found within the fruit or vegetable. This means that washing and peeling will not remove all of that particular pesticide. Washing fruit and vegetables before consumption is always a sensible precaution to ensure that they are clean. The FSA recommends as basic food hygiene advice that all fruit and vegetables are washed. Peeling is a matter of choice. In the UK, washing and/or peeling is not required as a protection against pesticide residues.

https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/multimedia/pdfs/publication/foodpestfactsh.pdf

And from your EPA

https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/pesticides-and-food-healthy-sensible-food-practices

 

[jontte]

so grow your own as much as possible...

 

[Brent S]

It may not be perfect, but if I didn't grow it then I peel it. I'm not an organic nut either, but do keep things to a minimum. I had to put a little seven dust on a peanut plant that had a fire ant mound growing around it just this morning. That was after I got stung about 15 times while weeding. One thing I have not used yet is the weed killers. It just seems like your poisoning the stuff you're eating.

 

[toexist]

It may not be perfect, but if I didn't grow it then I peel it. I'm not an organic nut either, but do keep things to a minimum. I had to put a little seven dust on a peanut plant that had a fire ant mound growing around it just this morning. That was after I got stung about 15 times while weeding. One thing I have not used yet is the weed killers. It just seems like your poisoning the stuff you're eating.

I just wonder how harmful these chemicals are long term wise to our bodies. Everyone seems to be getting cancer these days...it's scary stuff.

 

[WGregMiller]

Yep, and now they're saying that roundup causes cancer.

I don't use it much, but over the last many years I've used a lot.

 

[Dani]

It seems like everything you buy at the grocery stores cause cancer nowadays. Processed foods are the worst so stay away from boxes, cans, or premade frozen meals. And even when buying fresh, thinking it would've healthier, you have to worry about the pesticides used during its growing season & the waxcoating they use to make out more appealing. . . They say all you have to do is rinse under cold running water to remove, but as Sally pointed out, it does get absorbed. I try to grow as organically as possible using milk & vinegar as fungicides but sometimes it won't work and you have to use 7 dust or something else to get it under control.

 

[Maverick]

I use dish soap, wash and rinse. I pretty much do that with my own garden stuff but always if getting from the farmers market especially if canning regardless where I get the produce (precautionary)

 

[Kevin L]

Dr. Bonner's castile soap in a mixture of three spoonfuls of soap per gallon of water (along with a decent scrubbing) is supposed to remove most surface pesticides.

Organophosphate pesticides (same class of chemicals as Sarin, Tabun, Soman, VX, and VN) are now believed to be associated with autism...which I have no trouble believing even though I'm a skeptic about a lot of things.

 

[Brent S]

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I just wonder how harmful these chemicals are long term wise to our bodies. Everyone seems to be getting cancer these days...it's scary stuff.

Look at some of the primitive cultures around the world with amazingly low to almost non existent cancer rates. But hey, all the chemical companies say the stuff is safe.....

 

[toexist]

Look at some of the primitive cultures around the world with amazingly low to almost non existent cancer rates. But hey, all the chemical companies say the stuff is safe.....

Good point. I was thinking the same thing Brent.