Do home grown fruits and vegetables need to be washed before eating?
- 1 day ago
- 1 min read
A: Yes! Rinse those garden goodies! With all the recent produce recalls, you may be feeling pretty good about growing your own fruits and vegetables. And I agree—growing your own can eliminate many of the risks associated with commercially grown produce. But that doesn't mean you should eat your vegetables right off the plant, especially those that are harvested from the soil like carrots, or on top of the soil like squash. Even if you garden organically.
Pesticides aren't the only concern. Bird droppings, parasites, and bacteria such as E. coli, salmonella and listeria can find their way onto garden produce. That's just part of dealing with nature!
So, give your home-grown fruits and vegetables a good rinse before eating them. When washing sturdier produce, rub them gently with your hands under running water. More delicate fruits, such as raspberries, and strawberries, should be handled carefully. Growing your own is great. Just remember—fresh from the garden doesn't necessarily mean table ready.
Read our Q & As with Keith Funk answering common Colorado gardening questions here. See his website: gardenwiseguy.com and hear him on the Garden Wise Radio Show
