Marketing to our Fears or a Failure to Understand the Power of Water?
Remember when the government told us to wash all our packages, surfaces, and foods, even though COVID-19 could only be spread through airborne contact? Today, the cleaning mania continues, influencing a number of industries. Manufacturers of fruit and vegetable “washes” are offering “sustainable cleaners that are made from natural, biodegradable ingredients,” some are labeled vegan and/or kosher, clearly targeting specific market segments. These fruit and vegetable wash products are a $3.97 billion global industry.
In addition to concerns about dirt, bacterial and pesticide residues remaining on our farm-to-store fruits and vegetables, these washes are marketed to a growing number of Americans in the “healthy food movement” who believe that America’s food system is laden with toxins, including pesticides, that harms adults and children and contributes to our high rates of chronic disease. The movement also preaches that the agencies designed to protect our food supply, such as the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FDA, are corrupted by industrial influences and cannot be trusted to protect Americans.
What is in Fruit and Vegetable Wash?
In addition to water, fruit and vegetable wash products contain:
- Cleaning agents to remove dirt: myristyl glucoside, caprylyl glucoside; decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside; sodium hydroxide
- Antimicrobials to eliminate microorganisms and pathogens: citric acid, sodium benzoate; phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate
- Thickeners to improve the texture and stability of the wash: sodium citrate, xanthan gum, hydroxyethylcellulose
- Ph adjustment to control the washes acidity or alkalinity: sodium bicarbonate
- Fragrances: to enhance the washes marketability
None of these compounds except sodium hydroxide [1] are toxic and will not harm you if left on fruit and vegetables. However, it is important to rinse your produce with water after spraying the fruit and vegetable wash to remove the trace amounts of the chemicals in the wash. The “lunacy” of washing produce after you use a produce wash will be left for another day.
Fruit and vegetable wash products advertise that they eliminate agricultural chemicals (including pesticides), microbes, waxes, and soil or dirt from the surface of fruits and vegetables. But what does science say?
Removing Agricultural Chemicals or Pesticides
A study on removing pesticide residues from produce compared four fruit and vegetable washes with a one-percent Palmolive® solution and rinsing solely with tap water for their effectiveness in removing nine pesticide residues from lettuce, strawberries, and tomatoes.
There was little or no difference between rinsing with tap water or using fruit and vegetable wash to reduce pesticide residues.
The mechanical action of rubbing the produce with these agents was likely responsible for removing the pesticide residues; neither the mild detergent nor fruit and vegetable washes enhanced the removal of pesticides.
Removing Microbes
A study investigated the efficacy of electrooxidizing (EO) water [2], ozone, fruit and vegetable wash, dilute chlorine bleach, and tap water in removing three common pathogens [3] from tomatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe, lettuce, spinach, and green onions.
- All treatments significantly reduced all pathogen levels on tomatoes, broccoli, lettuce, and green onions.
- All treatments reduced Salmonella and E. coli on cantaloupe, though none affected levels of Listeria. No product was better in its action than tap water.
- All treatments produced a significant reduction in E. coli and Listeria on spinach. For Salmonella, tap water, dilute chlorine bleach, and EO water produced non-significant reductions, and ozone and fruit and vegetable wash were even less effective.
While each washing treatment reduced surface bacterial contamination on fresh produce, none produced significantly more significant reductions than rinsing in tap water for all produce tested.
Removing Waxy Substances
Some fruits and vegetables produce a waxy substance that prevents moisture from being lost and acts as a barrier against insects and microbes. Sometimes, the natural wax is removed before packaging and shipping, and produce distributors may apply a thin layer of new wax to replace what was lost. These waxes are FDA-approved as safe to consume. [4] There is no need to remove the natural or applied coatings before eating.
Nobody likes to eat dirty fruits or vegetables.
- Rinsing produce by gently rubbing it under plain running water before you peel it, so dirt and bacteria aren’t transferred from the damaged or bruised areas before preparing or eating.
- Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers.
- Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
- Remove the outermost leaves of a head of lettuce or cabbage.
Health “influencers” recommend rinsing in vinegar or baking soda as a “natural way” to clean fruits or vegetables. There is no evidence that either does a better job than plain water; however, they are not harmful and cost less than fruit and vegetable wash. [5]
“A fool and his money are soon parted.”
Fruit and vegetable wash products sell because marketers play to a health-conscious country that believes anything marketed as “natural” must be good. Ironically, these washes introduce more chemicals to fruits and vegetables that must then be removed with water! Water is best at removing surface contaminants, and the mechanical action of scrubbing removes contaminants hiding in the nooks and crannies of produce.
Once again, mother knows best: invest a few dollars in a vegetable scrub brush and rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly in water. Our pocketbooks will thank us.
[1] Sodium hydroxide (lye or caustic soda) is a toxic compound used to make wood products, soaps, and detergents. It is the primary ingredient in Drano, a drain cleaner. It is allowed as a food processing agent but not as a food preservative.
[2] “Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water is created by passing a dilute salt solution through an electric current. This produces water with a high oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), low pH, and free chlorine. The low pH of EO water is not harmful to the skin, but, in combination with the high ORP and free chlorine, is effective in inactivating a wide range of microorganisms…”
[3] Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica
[4] The FDA recommends consumers look for labels that say, “Coated with food-grade vegetable, petroleum-beeswax, or shellac-based wax or resin, to maintain freshness.”
[5] For those who just must do something,
- Vinegar: combine one cup of distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar with 4 cups of water and spray or soak the produce for two to three minutes in the solution.
- Baking Soda: Add one teaspoon baking soda to every 2 cups of cold water. Soak the fruit or vegetables in the baking soda water for 12 to 15 minutes. For firmer vegetables and fruits, use a soft-bristle vegetable brush to scrub the surface.
