Bleach is often recommended to remove pesticide residues and potential viruses from fruits and vegetables. But is this technique really recommended and without health risks?
Why is it common to bleach fruits and vegetables in restaurants?
There are protocols specifically designed for the food industry, hotels and restaurants regarding the use of bleach in cooking. Indeed, the latter may be authorized to use bleach for maintenance of premises and equipment, as well as for cleaning fruits and vegetables. However, this is possible because the cleared quantities are larger, but also because strict instructions have been put in place. According to the book Information kitchen By Michel Meincent-Morel (1), this technique significantly improves the microbiological quality of raw vegetables, i.e. raw vegetables. To do this, use two drops of 12° chlorometric bleach per 1 liter of water, or 10 cl per 100 liters of water, soaking for approximately 5 minutes.
Additionally, rinsing thoroughly with clean water is a must after each cleaning of fruits and vegetables to remove all traces of bleach. If this protocol is not respected, the health of consumers is threatened. Therefore, learning this preparation is important to know how to properly wash vegetables without harming the health of others. People who use this method frequently every day can use it at home by adjusting the dosages. But for the uninitiated, the practice can pose a risk.
Fruits and vegetables washed with bleach pose a risk of food poisoning.
Bleach is a powerful disinfectant used primarily as a household product in many homes. If it is very effective on floors, walls or even bathrooms, then it is legitimate to think that the product can disinfect other objects. However, household bleach is strongly discouraged for cleaning fruits or vegetables. Whether used neat or diluted in clean water, bleach remains toxic if absorbed, even in small amounts.
When cleaning, the product enters the body of the vegetable. Therefore, it can pose a health risk, including if it is peeled or cooked. Also, ingesting bleach can be especially dangerous for more fragile people, such as young children. Poison control centers regularly receive calls about poisoning after cleaning food with bleach. To avoid this type of emergency, it is best to keep bleach away from food.
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What are the symptoms of poisoning after washing fruits and vegetables with bleach?
When bleach is used in a diluted form, it is considered less hazardous to health. However, symptoms of a different nature may occur. Coughing, irritation or sore throat, and vomiting are the most common. Note that the severity of symptoms can increase in children up to 5 years old. However, if bleach is used in its pure form or improperly rinsed after washing, there is a real risk to the person who consumes the affected fruits and vegetables.
In addition to the previous symptoms, it can lead to serious stomach complications. This is an emergency and the poisoned person should be taken to the nearest poison control center or hospital. Using diluted bleach alternatives, such as white vinegar or just cold water, allows you to clean fruits and vegetables properly while protecting the health of everyone who eats them.
(1) Information kitchenBy Michel Meincent-Morel, Éditions BPI, 1208 pages, €49.
Source: Le Figaro
