Day 11 - Preening Your Produce

We never know who’s been handling our produce, but it’s safe to say that it’s felt the touch of many hands, from the farm to the processing plant, from the shipper to the merchandiser. And once it gets to the produce section or the farmer’s market, all bets are off. Next time you’re grocery shopping, take a look at all the people touching, holding, and pressing fruits and vegetables as they check for ripeness. Then watch what they do with their hands.

Okay, before you shun all things fresh and run to the processed food aisles, just remember that proper cleaning can eliminate all the … stuff that’s accumulated on your prized produce. And you probably have the perfect solution in your home already. It’s hydrogen peroxide. The United States Food and Drug Administration considers hydrogen peroxide an approved and safe way to kill bacteria.# Here’s what you do:

Don’t wash produce directly in your sink – the sink is one of the most dangerous places in the home because it’s loaded with bacteria. Be sure to use bowls for soaking and washing produce.

Produce - Fill a large bowl with cold water and add 1/4 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide. Soak the fruit and veggies for about 1 minute; then rinse with running water. According to scientific research, this process kills E. coli and bacteria effectively.*

Cutting board bacteria - Cutting boards can contain about 200% more fecal bacteria than a toilet seat. Keep them clean by soaking a paper towel or damp cloth in peroxide and wiping the wood or plastic board. The oxidizing agents kill salmonella and other organisms that can make you sick.*

# Information from ehow.com.
*Information from http://hubpages.com/hub/10-Great-uses-for-Hydrogen-Peroxide