There are very good reasons why health authorities are constantly urging consumers to wash fruits and vegetables before consuming or cooking them – these fruits and vegetables may include E.coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and other illness-causing bacteria. Washing with water and an environment-friendly fruit and vegetable wash also does away with residue from unsafe pesticides. Rachel Nall writes about how to safely prepare produce, in her article for LiveStrong.com.

Why Is it Important to Wash Vegetables Before Eating Them
Prone to Contamination Many ground-growing vegetables such as potatoes are at risk of contamination, from the environment in which they are grown to the areas where they are stored. Despite the amount of pesticides used on produce nowadays, however, health authorities assure the public that the types and amounts of pesticide are monitored and the probability of becoming ill because of them is quite low, especially if the produce is washed properly. Washing is Important Many are under the impression that organically-grown produce needn’t be washed since they aren’t exposed to growth hormones or chemicals. Inasmuch as there is truth to that, the soil remains a source of bacteria or pathogens that could contaminate the produce. The FDA advises consumers to wash their fruits and vegetables regardless of the origin. The Proper Way to Wash Produce Vegetables with tough skin such as bell peppers or potatoes can be washed under running water with a scrub brush, to rid the surface of contaminants. Vegetables with soft skins like tomatoes should be rubbed gently with the hands while being washed under cool running water (don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly before doing this). Do not use soap on the produce; instead, try special organic cleaners like iGOZEN that do remove bacteria from fruits and vegetables to make them safe for eating. How Effective Are These Washes? Food washers are typically made with non-toxic surfactants that break down and eliminate residue so the latter can be washed off. They are usually non-irritating, mild, contain no dyes, are biodegradable, and more. Some brands contain the usual cleansing agents such as coconut oil, orange oil, etc. while others get exotic with grapefruit seed and pulp extracts and lime extracts, among others. Cooking Does the Trick Not all vegetables can be sanitized via rinsing and washing. Sprouts, left uncooked, can become active sources of bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. These should be cooked to kill the bacteria. The bottom line is there’s no way to guarantee 100% germ-free fruits and vegetables, so it’s better to play safe with the methods we do have and lessen the chances of contamination with the safety protocols already in place. (SOURCE: “Why Is it Important to Wash Vegetables Before Eating Them?”, LiveStrong.com)