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World Health Day: Your simple guide to washing raw food the right way

It is important to wash fruits vegetables, pulses and other food products thoroughly.

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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : April 8, 2015 1:02 PM IST

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April 7 is World Health Day and this year s theme is Food Safety.

Cleaning your food before cooking it is one of the most important steps in food preparation. Fruits and vegetables are full of dirt, chemical pesticides and are often coated with wax to make it look shiny. We rarely make sure that all of these contaminants are washed thoroughly. As a result, we ingest many of these contaminants, often giving rise to health complications like food poisoning, other food-borne illnesses and also cancer (as pesticides often contain carcinogens).

It is important to wash fruits vegetables, pulses and other food products thoroughly. Here are some easy points to remember while washing your food:

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Cleaning vegetables

  1. Use clean water: Ensure you use clean water, free of any suspended solids like soil and other dirt. You can always give your vegetables a final rinse with drinking water if your locally-supplied water is not up-to-the-mark.
  2. Keep scrubbers handy: Vegetables that are grown under the earth like potatoes, carrots, etc. often have a layer of soil over them. Use a separate scrubber or a brush to scrub these vegetables to get rid of the stubborn soil that is stuck to them.
  3. Soak them in water: This method comes in handy when you are washing leafy vegetables like spinach or even spices like coriander. The roots of these vegetables are often loaded with sticky mud. It is ideal first to separate the roots by cutting them off. Washing them in running water is not as useful as soaking them. Take a big bowl and fill it completely with water. Soak your vegetables and rub them lightly to get rid of all the dirt. Change the water frequently to ensure your vegetables are cleaned thoroughly and finally rinse them under running water.
  4. Cut vegetables into smaller pieces: It is advisable to wash your vegetables before cutting them as it is believed that washing them after cutting leads to loss of nutrients. However, certain vegetables like cauliflower or broccoli often tend to harbour various insects and worms. Hence, it is best to cut them down into smaller chunks and soak them in a bowl of water. You can also add a pinch of salt and turmeric to this water as salt and turmeric are known to kill germs. Here are tips to store vegetables the right way.

Cleaning fruits

Fruits are often coated with a wax-like substance that not only acts as a preservative but also plays a major role in improving their appearance. Before eating fruits like apples and pears, ensure that you wash them thoroughly under running water and use a mild scrubber or brush if needed. Fruits are often peeled before eating, but to be on a safer side, you can always wash them before peeling them. You may like to read about 5 simple rules that ensure the food you serve your family is safe.

Cleaning grains and pulses

Grains and pulses are often stored for a long time and hence are coated with various chemicals and preservatives that make them last long. These preservatives range from castor oil to boric acids. If not cleaned properly, these preservatives often mess up with your health when ingested. To wash grains and pulses, it is best to rinse them under running water. Put your grains to wash in a bowl and hold it under running water. Rub the grains with your hands gently, and you will see the water turning opaque. Rinse it until the water becomes clear.

Cleaning meat

We often rinse meat under water to clean the residual blood and other dirt that the meat might harbour. However, it is claimed that rinsing meat does more harm than good. One explanation for this is when you wash meats, the water you splash on it contaminates your sink and other kitchen surfaces, increasing chances of cross contamination. It is also argued that simply washing meat doesn't rid it of all the bacteria as it is more firmly attached to the meat. But you can always rinse the meat to get rid of slimy residues, but make sure that you sanitise your sinks and kitchen surfaces afterwards. Here are some tips to store your cold cuts the right way.

Image Source: Shutterstock.com

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Poorva Chavan

Poorva Chavan

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