I would rather risk soap, than some bacteria. (I just rinsed extremely well). I have also wondered about the veggie rinses available at the local markets. After a bit of research, I have found that vinegar diluted with water is a great home made solution for smooth skinned fruits and vegetables.
Mix:
1 c vinegar to 3 parts water in a spray bottle.
An apple or pear would require about 6 squirts, and a final rinse of cold water.
In a study conducted by Cook's Illustrated and broadcasted by NPR, @ http:/www.npr.org, in a piece titled "What Does It Take to Clean Fresh Food", they found the vinegar rinse to be the most effective of the 4 techniques they tried:
1. Anti bac soap- not recommended. (I never used anti-bac)
2. Vinegar rinse (above recipe) & cold water rinse to follow. Removed 98% of the bacteria, in about 30 seconds.
3. Scrubbing fruit with a scrub brush. Removed 85% of the bacteria.
4. Cold water rinse. Water can remove 98% of bacteria if used to rinse and soak the produce.
This can be an effective solution for not so smooth produce. You could even add vinegar to the soak. Can we ever be to careful?
I've often wondered the same thing and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that's used dish soap. I will definitely be using the vinegar solution from now on. So simple! Thank you so much for sharing!
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