Even if you buy organic, it's a good idea to wash your produce before you consume it to rid it of germs or residue. While water works, a wash can help you use less water; they're also effective at forcing out any bugs. Here are two fruit and vegetable washes that you can make at home that will be cheaper than any of those products you can buy...
Produce Wash
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 20 drops grapefruit seed extract (available at Whole Foods or your local health food store or you can substitute lemon juice in a pinch)
Combine all ingredients in a large container. Then, transfer to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray mixture on produce (avoid using on mushrooms), let sit 5 to 10 minutes and rinse.
Alternative (good for berries, beans and smaller produce)
- Large bowl or sink of cool water
- 4 tablespoons salt
- Juice of 1/2 lemon.
Combine water and salt. When salt has dissolved, add lemon juice. Soak produce for 10 minutes and rinse.
(Image: Flickr member BinaryApe, licensed for use under Creative Commons. Originally published 2009-08-12)
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Thank you for this!
How long does this stuff keep? Do I have to use it all in one shot?
I don't think I'd soak berries in a lemon brine.
The recipes are functionally the same, since acid base (vinegar & baking soda) react to yield water and salt. I'm not sure how much baking soda it takes to neutralize a whole cup of vinegar, but my hunch is that you'd wind up with some acidity left. I think the main choice here is whether you want the wash to smell like vinegar or lemon.
You obviously have not heard that Whole Foods is off the shopping lists now. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.
Do a Google on Whole Foods CEO ranting against health care reform.
"You obviously have not heard that Whole Foods is off the shopping lists now. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.
Do a Google on Whole Foods CEO ranting against health care reform."
Why would this remove Whole Foods from the shopping lists? Because someone exercised their right to speak? Like you just did? I think there are more questions than answers in this "reform" product and it should be repaired before passed. That doesn't make these people unaware; it just makes you pushy and limited in your thinking.
Oh man, I thought Whole Foods was caught selling Soylent Green!
In any case, thanks for the recipes!
This is great! I was washing all the produce from my organic farm share last night, and wishing for a less water-heavy solution.
I've always just used vinegar and water; works well. Soak in a large bowl for about 20 minutes, then rinse with filtered water.
I can't take any recipe seriously if it includes vinegar AND baking soda. One of the two will be neutralised by the other, so why bother putting in in the first place?
I feel that people too often live in fear and let fear rule their lives. A quick rinse under cold water is all I ever do to produce.
what's the purpose of the grapefruit seed extract? (serious question, I'm curious)
A few years ago Cook's Illustrated found using a 3:1 water to white vinegar mix worked very well. I keep it in a spray bottle by the sink and use it on almost everything.
I normally hate Whole Foods, but now I'm going to shop there more. Thanks for the info cheep3r5.
What cbreynolds said.
If you're afraid of chemical residue, buy organic. If you're afraid or organic, please educate yourself.
Can I ask what it is the spray does? Does it loosen dirt? Break down waxy coatings and pesticides? I use very dilute dish soap on things like apples and plums, but just rinse my leafy greens.
Also, does this, or does anyone know how to, remove aphids and similar bugs from organic broccoli and cauliflower? I've thrown whole heads away because the crunching grosses me out too much and it's so wasteful.
I'm not clear on how this conserves water, when you still have to rinse the wash off the produce after soaking. I just do a quick rinse under clean water in the first place, so using a wash would actually be more wasteful for me.
oo lah lah we have all these ingredients anyway. I keep grapefruit seed extract around as I use it for many things.