Should You Ever Skip Washing Produce?

By Jane Farrell

Editor’s note: Food poisoning ranges from the possibly fatal to the just yucky. Here, the Mayo Clinic talks about what fruits and vegetables you should pre-wash – and which ones should you leave alone:

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) you should be washing most fruits and vegetables, Mayo says. (Click here to see more about the FDA’s recommendations.)

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Jeff Olsen speaks with Angie Murad, Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program dietitian, about the best ways to prep your produce for summer meals and snacks:

*You should wash all fruits and vegetables that aren’t packaged.  This includes produce with tough skin, like avocados and melons.  Wash the skins before cutting into them. “You want to make sure you wash them well before you cut,” Murad told the Mayo Clinic News Network. “Because if they are not washed, you’ll be introducing the bacteria that’s on the outside of them into the fruit or vegetable.”

*There’s no need for soap or a special vegetable wash for scrubbing. Just use cold water and a small kitchen brush, Murad says.

*If your produce is packaged, Mayo says, read the label to see if it is prewashed. If not, you need to treat it as you would non-packaged items.

*However, if the package says the product is prewashed or already rinsed, it’s OK not to wash it.

For more information on health issues, visit www.mayoclinic.org.