Do you rinse your apple under the tap before eating it?
Most of us have developed the habit of rinsing apples and other produce under running water before eating them, believing it effectively removes dirt and pesticides.
But as it turns out, this well-intentioned practice is not nearly as effective as we think.
Recent research suggests there’s a much more efficient way to clean your apples—and it's not what you might expect.
A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry compared various methods for cleaning apples and discovered that a simple mixture of baking soda and water is far superior to just rinsing under the tap.
Researchers tested apples treated with two common pesticides, one for insects and another for fungi, and then applied three different cleaning methods:
Rinsing under tap water
Soaking in a baking soda and water solution
Using a bleach solution (as commonly done in the food industry)
The results were clear: soaking apples in a baking soda and water mixture for 15 minutes removed 96% of insecticides and 80% of fungicides.
This method outperformed both rinsing under tap water and using bleach, which were far less effective in removing contaminants.
Lili He, one of the researchers, acknowledges that while this method works, it may not be practical for everyone in their daily routine. Most people are unlikely to wait 15 minutes to clean an apple.
However, if you have the time, this method offers a healthier, more thorough way to reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals.
