Fruits and vegetables are very popular in the US. Packed with vitamins, minerals and so many other nutrients, most of us consider fresh produce an integral part of a healthy diet. Whether store bought, home grown or even organic, cleaning produce is important to remove any dirt and especially those things you can't see, like bacteria. Below are some easy tips we found from Colorado State University for cleaning your fresh fruits and vegetables:
 |
| Full Circle Photo - The Ring Vegetable Brush |
- Wash your hands before and after preparing fresh produce to avoid any possible cross contamination with other foods.
- Remove damaged or bruised sections of any produce as these may contain dirt or other residues.
- Clean vegetables and other produce BEFORE cutting or peeling, to avoid transferring bacteria from your knife to the fruit or vegetable.
- Use a vegetable brush and fresh running water to scrub and clean all firmer produce, such as melons, potatoes and apples. We recommend The Ring Vegetable Brush or the Tater Mate - Potato Brush with Eye Remover, both are earth friendly produce brushes from Full Circle.
- Leafy greens should be separated and leaves rinsed individually. To reduce the possibility of bacterial contamination, they can be soaked in a solution of 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 cup cold water for a few minutes, then thoroughly rinsed with fresh water.
- Delicate fruit such as strawberries should be thoroughly washed and rinsed under clean running water.
- For fresh herbs, swish them around in a bowl of cool water, then dry on a clean cloth.
