This article is sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and is planned and executed by pan-science.
By Chai Yuxin | Head of Science and Technology Agriculture Daily, Science and Technology Agriculture Daily is Taiwan’s first agricultural science popularization association, which regularly publishes agricultural news collation and global agricultural news articles every Tuesday and Thursday. Let’s follow the agricultural newspaper to analyze Taiwan’s agricultural issues from a more scientific and professional perspective!
The news about pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables is not uncommon. What can be done to avoid eating these “residues” of pesticides? As long as the fruits and vegetables are cleaned in accordance with the following principles: “soak first, then rinse, and then cut”, and go through the steps of “pre-food treatment”, the risk of pesticide residues can be effectively reduced.
The principle of washing vegetables: soak first, rinse afterwards, and then cut off
actually,”Rinse with water“It is a simple and effective way to avoid pesticide residues. Since contact pesticides are common types of pesticide residues, removing these residual pesticides attached to plants can effectively reduce the risk of ingesting pesticides. When cleaning, soak in clean water for 3 minutes. After the pesticide is dissolved in the water, rinse with running clean water. It is worth reminding that the soaking time does not need to be too long. The key point is to rinse with running water, so that the water can take away the residual pesticides in the fruits and vegetables. After careful washing, the fruits and vegetables can be cut into small pieces, or the inedible parts can be removed.The removal step must be processed last to avoid pesticide contamination of the tool, Let the pesticide on the knife contaminate the clean part.
In addition, the degree of decomposition of pesticides in water varies according to the pesticide formulation, and can be divided into “water-soluble” and “fat-soluble”. As the name implies, relatively water-soluble and fat-soluble pesticides are less effective in being decomposed by water.If consumers are concerned about the residual problem of “fat-soluble pesticides”, they can use itVegetable and Fruit CleanerClean. The “interface active agent” in this type of cleaner can effectively dissolve fat-soluble pesticides. The cleaning method is the same as water washing: soak first, then rinse. However, if the operation method is improper, the surfactant is often more likely to remain in the fruits and vegetables than the pesticide, and the risk to health is also higher.Therefore, after using vegetable and fruit detergent, it is recommended to rinse the remaining detergent with water。
In the process of planting vegetables and fruits, farmers have different treatment methods, which can also cause differences in pesticide residues. When the fruit is ripe, farmers usually “bag” the fruit first-wrap the fruit in a bag to protect the fruit from being eaten by insects, and the chance of being sprayed by pesticides is relatively small. Regardless of vegetables or fruits, washing with water can reduce the chance of pesticide residues. Different fruits and vegetables will also clean the “eyebrow corners” differently.
Inventory of common vegetable and fruit cleaning tips
Bracticea(Such as cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, lettuce) pesticide residues are often on the outer leaves, so the outermost 2~3 leaves of the cabbage must be peeled off, and the cabbage leaves should be peeled off by hand, soaked and thoroughly cleaned. After that, cut off the base and eat.
Large leafy vegetables(For example, Chinese cabbage, Qingjiang cabbage, rape, spinach) The focus of cleaning is to rinse the leaves and remove the petioles or roots. When cleaning, open the leaves and rinse them carefully with running water at the same time, and then remove the petioles or roots that are prone to pesticide residues.
Risa Ogata(For example, asparagus, water spinach, chrysanthemum) the cleaning method is the same as that of large leafy vegetables, except that the leaves are small and difficult to spread and wash. It is recommended to prepare a basin of clean water to let the leaflets unfold in the water, and then rinse the leaflets with a small stream of water.
Eat flowersFoodLeafy vegetables, Like cauliflower or cabbage」For edible parts of vegetables, etc.,Pesticides are easy to remain in the gaps between the florets, it is recommended「Boiled and eaten afterwards. Hold the stalk with the florets facing upwards, and rinse with a small stream of water while rotating the florets so that each cauliflower can be completely rinsed. Note that the water flow cannot be too large, otherwise the florets will be washed away. After washing, cut off the florets from the main stem. After blanching the cauliflower for 3-5 minutes, the pesticides remaining in the gaps can be decomposed in hot water, which can effectively reduce the pesticide residues.
Beans, peppers, eggplants, fruitsThese vegetables with depressions and pedicles on the surface are soaked to dissolve the pesticides remaining in the depressions in water. After rinsing with water, use a soft brush to gently brush away the pesticides remaining on the epidermis, and then remove the pedicles. Color peppers can be directly removed at the top and bottom recessed parts, avoiding these parts that are likely to cause residues.
Durable vegetables,Studies have shown that plants have the ability to decompose a small amount of pesticides. Therefore, vegetables such as pumpkins or radishes can be stored for a longer period of time. If they are eaten for 1-2 days after purchase, they can also reduce the risk of pesticide residues. However, long-term storage of vegetables can easily lead to staleness and loss of nutritional value, so be careful not to leave them for too long.
Fruits can be simply divided into small fruits, fruits without skins, and fruits with skins.
Small fruits(For example: longan, lychee, strawberry, grape), these small-sized fruits are usually purchased together with the fruit and the stems. Soak for 3-5 minutes to dissolve the pesticides in water, then rinse with water, cut the small fruits from the branches and peel them for consumption.If it’s a small fruit eaten with skin, Eat after removing the stalk.
Skin without fruit(For example: mango, pear, citrus), after rinsing with clean water, cut off the skin and stalk to avoid the recessed part that is prone to pesticide residues, peel it and eat it.
Edible fruit(For example: Guava, plum, peach, lotus mist)，After soaking in clean water for 3 minutes, rinse again. At the same time, use a soft brush to gently scrub the surface of the fruit. The concave part must also be cut to avoid eating.
Choose to buy fruits and vegetables with less pesticide residues
In addition to cleaning to reduce the risk of pesticide residues, consumers should also establish the concept of “prevention is better than cure”, starting with “buying safe agricultural products” and avoid purchasing agricultural products with excessive residues. Although the pesticides in fruits and vegetables are invisible to the naked eye and small molecules that the nose cannot smell, it is difficult to distinguish from the appearance. We can still choose safe fruits and vegetables that are controlled by the Council of Agriculture.
The purchase seems to have “Production and sales resume label”Or「Jiyuanpu“Agricultural products”, fruits and vegetables grown in accordance with “Good Agricultural Practices” are not only of good quality, but also open production information, such as: “When to spray pesticides”, “Which drugs are sprayed”, “Is it within the safe harvest period? Harvest” and so on.The production and sales resume label must go through a strict verification process to ensure that the planting process meets the verification standards in order to pass the customs.By reducing the chance of eating pesticides from the consumption behavior, not only can you eat with peace of mind, but also give back to farmers who produce safe agricultural products.
Pesticide residues often come from multiple factors. In addition to overdose, weather factors and field environment may increase the risk of pesticide residues. To avoid unnecessary panic, consumers should pay attention to whether there is a problem of “exceeding the standard”. Once the allowable standard value is exceeded, there will be doubts about health. When shopping for fruits and vegetables, the two-pronged approach of “purchasing” and “correctly cleaning”, coupled with the correct agricultural concept, can avoid the haze of pesticide residues.
