Washing fruit/vegetables

[derek60]

My wife is asking this question...

What do you use to wash your fruit/vegetables in Thailand
Could be...
- I don't wash them
- I use Thai tap water
- I use treated (eg boiled) tap water
- I use bottled water

Also...
- I use some kind of cleaning agent (eg Vegga Wash)
- I just use water

Do you soak them? If so for how long?

Thanks in advance

[handdrummer]

I use water that runs through my countertop filter and add 1 tbs. of white vinegar and soak for 12 mins. more or less. That will kill any bacteria on the outside of the fruit and vegetables.

[HHTel]

I just use tap water if it's then going to be cooked. Otherwise I use filtered water for fruit I'm going to eat raw. If the fruit has a skin or is going to be peeled (eg. carrots, potatoes), I don't wash.
Never had a problem after living here 20+ years.

[HHTel]

I'd make a further comment on the above. When I grew up we ate lots of food that today would be considered 'dirty'. But I'm sure that's how the body learns and builds up your immunity.
Today, everything has to be hygenic/sterilised/washed/processed etc. Our kids are protected to such an extreme that your body doesn't have a chance to 'learn' in order to build your immunity.

When I was a kid, a favourite phrase from my mum when I complained was "A bit of muck isn't going to hurt you!"

[handdrummer]

I'd make a further comment on the above. When I grew up we ate lots of food that today would be considered 'dirty'. But I'm sure that's how the body learns and builds up your immunity.
Today, everything has to be hygenic/sterilised/washed/processed etc. Our kids are protected to such an extreme that your body doesn't have a chance to 'learn' in order to build your immunity.

When I was a kid, a favourite phrase from my mum when I complained was "A bit of muck isn't going to hurt you!"

That was probably before the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It's not the dirt that's the problem, it washes off easily, it's the chemicals. You can't eliminate what's been used for growing but you can remove what's been sprayed on. Cooking will eliminate some of the harm of the chemical fertilizer.

[lindosfan1]

A friend of mine was a chef in a small public boarding school in the 1990's. His kitchen was inspected monthly on different days. He told me his kitchen was so clean you could eat off the floor under the cooker.
The pupils were very healthy, never a problem dietary wise, however when they went home many many of them were sick, the school had some parents complaining, very difficult to tell the parents that the cause was probably their dirty kitchen.

[handdrummer]

A friend of mine was a chef in a small public boarding school in the 1990's. His kitchen was inspected monthly on different days. He told me his kitchen was so clean you could eat off the floor under the cooker.
The pupils were very healthy, never a problem dietary wise, however when they went home many many of them were sick, the school had some parents complaining, very difficult to tell the parents that the cause was probably their dirty kitchen.

Or the poor quality food they were eating at home.

[deepee]

I use some kind of cleaning agent (eg Vegga Wash)

All the test results I've ever come across on these commercial washes says they do little if anything at all to clean up fruit and veg and are a waste of money.

[VincentD]

Will usually just give it a rinse with plain tap water, but if upcountry in the boonies, may just soak them in a solution of potassium permanganate before a final clear water rinse.

[Palmar]

A relater question is how do you deal with fruit that is sold already peeled like pinaple, mango, (green mango slices, mango sticky rice), pomelo. I have seen some peeling being done in the market stalls, and it does not look very hygienic. It should be mentioned that I have never been sick after eating these fruits, and I eat a lot. And then of course you have all the pesticides being used in growing these fruits, I seem to remember that there were some news headlines about Thai authorities not accepting imposing harsher restrictions on the use of pesticides that were considered toxic also for humans. I think that is more worrying

[Dannie Boy]

Well you either do as you’ve been doing (with no harm so far!!) or you take it home and wash the fruit with sterile water.

I too have eaten prepared fruit with no (knowingly) reaction, so I’d suggest that the risk is pretty low.

[handdrummer]

Once the fruit is peeled, all the toxins on the outside are gone. I don't know of anyone getting ill from eating peeled fruit.

[deepee]

Once the fruit is peeled, all the toxins on the outside are gone. I don't know of anyone getting ill from eating peeled fruit.

Both the Mrs and I had a desperate bout of 'the runs' after eating peeled fruit off one of those street trolley vendors few years back in BKK. Been ever so wary of peeled fruit since then.
And yes peeling the fruit might remove toxins and pesticides on the skin but it does nothing for those that have become stored within the flesh of the item over the growing period.

[KhunLA]

Wife lets them soak in tap water. I give them a quick rinse, if that, depending where purchased.

[Nereus]

Once the fruit is peeled, all the toxins on the outside are gone. I don't know of anyone getting ill from eating peeled fruit.

Both the Mrs and I had a desperate bout of 'the runs' after eating peeled fruit off one of those street trolley vendors few years back in BKK. Been ever so wary of peeled fruit since then.
And yes peeling the fruit might remove toxins and pesticides on the skin but it does nothing for those that have become stored within the flesh of the item over the growing period.

When buying peeled fruit from a street vendor, the most likely way of getting sick is from fruit contaminated with human excrement. There is no way these people are able to wash their hands properly after using the toilet. Caveat Emptor!