So we are always told to wash our fruits and veggies prior to eating them to get rid of bacteria, pesticides, whatever. Assuming my romaine lettuce was contaminated with e. Coli or Listeria or something, how does rinsing the leaves under cold water for a few seconds remove all that bacteria? Especially because we are told to wash our hands with soap AND water, that water alone will not cut it?? Why is plain old water enough for veggies but not for our hands?
In: Biology
It… doesn’t really. The washing idea is more for macro concerns like dirt, debris, insect bits; all of which can harbor dangerous bacteria and getting rid of them helps tremendously.
But, and this sucks I know, eating raw fruits and vegetables is a solid way to contract food borne illnesses if they are present and this is why our food safety laws and oversight are so rigid. The hope is that our leafy greens aren’t being irrigated with contaminated water and that every step of the way they are being handled and processed in a sanitary manner.
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