Can we remove pesticides from vegetables and fruits?

Everyday we read about the presence of pesticides on the fruits and vegetables we consume on a daily basis. According to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), “high levels of pesticide residues can be toxic enough to cause long-term cancer, damage to the nervous and reproductive systems, birth defects, and severe disruption of the immune system.” It is a constant struggle to procure and store good quality produce to many of us. Eating Organic foods is a good step,but with many limitations. Availability of organic fruits and vegetables to everyone is still a major problem and the affordability of the produce is also a point of contention.

As a nutritionist, I always recommend the consumption of a large quantity of vegetables and fruits. So how do we minimise if not eliminate the pesticides present on the surface of the produce?

How to wash the fresh produce?

Wash the produce by rinsing it under cold, running water. Almost 75 to 80 percent of pesticide residues are removed by cold water washing. But several liquids have been shown to be more effective than plain water. Those are Salt water, Vinegar water, or Baking soda water.

Salt water:

Salt water is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to remove certain pesticides.According to the CSE, washing them with 2% of salt water will remove most of the contact pesticide residues that normally appear on the surface of the vegetables and fruits. Another group of US scientists recommend a 10% salt solution being the most effective, and far more so than washing with plain water.

Vinegar water:

Full-strength vinegar was found to be equally as effective. But using vinegar would get quite expensive and would leave foods with an unwelcome vinegary flavor, making it less than ideal for a daily vegetable wash.

Baking Soda water:

A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed the effectiveness of Baking soda solution. This study compared the effectiveness of plain water, a Clorox bleach solution, and a baking soda and water solution.the baking soda solution was found to be most effective at removing pesticide residues both on the surface and beneath the skin of apples.The baking soda solution used in the study was very weak – a mix of around 30g of baking soda mixed with 3 litres of water. And it took 12 to 15 minutes of soaking to completely remove the pesticides.

Washing Method:

Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a large bowl. Soak the produce in the solution for 5 minutes.. We can use a scrubber to remove dirt. Rinse it with running water for atleast 30 seconds.

Simple method of washing, using the baking soda solution can ensure  pesticide removal to a large extent. So what are you waiting for, grab baking soda from your grocer today.