DO WE REALLY NEED TO WASH FRESH
PRODUCE BEFORE EATING IT?
Yes. For two reasons:
1 Avoid food poisoning. According to the CDC, germs on
fresh produce are responsible for nearly half of all food-
borne illnesses. Harmful bacteria can catch a ride on your
apple or your carrots or your head of lettuce, whether
from the farm, during storage, or from fellow shoppers
feeling them up before the items land in your grocery
basket. Ever had a foodborne illness like norovirus? It
wipes you out for days. Not fun.
2 Remove pesticide residue. This is, of course, particularly
relevant for produce that’s not organic.Rinse produce right before you’re going to eat it. Don’t wash
and then refrigerate, because bacteria thrive in moisture.
Plain running water is best, with a gentle rub from your
freshly washed hands. Dry it with a clean cloth or paper
towel. There is no need to wash prewashed items like
bagged salad greens.You get to know the people behind your food. As the num-
ber of farmers has dramatically declined, and more and
more of us live in cities, we’ve become disconnected from
not only how food is grown but who grows it. Talking to
the growers behind your food (such as by buying your pro-
duce from farmers’ markets) allows you to learn about their
land and family history and understand how their produce
gets, well, produced. There are major financial burdens to
converting to organic; some farms are effectively organic,
or even regenerative or biodynamic, but don’t get certified.
Foods don’t have to be certified organic to have been grown
using safe, sustainable, responsible practices.
Stuff that Comes from the Ground 21