Do you really need to clean your fruits and vegetables in the dishwasher?

Washing fruits and vegetables before eating them is an almost automatic reflex for any self-respecting cook, whether amateur or professional. First, because pieces of earth are not tasty. Then, as the gesture is known to be effective in eliminating all traces of pesticides and possible viruses. On TikTok, users go further. Carrots, apples, leeks and other general ingredients with seeds or roots can be cleaned and sanitized effectively in the dishwasher. As a bonus for the cook, saving time and energy. But as we suspected, like many other “health” trends promoted by the social network, this technique turns out to be a bad idea. This is what Washington Post reported in his columns on August 9, 2024.

Detergent residue, food mold

“You can do more harm than good by washing fruits and vegetables in the dishwasher,” says our colleagues Kathy Savoy, a professor and food safety expert at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (Orono, United States). Indeed, even if no detergent is added to the wash tank, dishwashing liquid or rinse aid residue can be found on food, he explains.

Another downside to this technique is that fruits and vegetables don’t mix well with leftovers on our plates. Poorly cleaned dishwashers harbor bacteria, mold and other yeasts that can transfer to food. And vice versa. “Washing produce in a spask washer is an additional opportunity to introduce microbes, not to get rid of them, which is the purpose of this cleaning in the first place,” says expert Kathy Savoy.

Tap water, the big winner for cleaning

After all, it would be better to rinse our potatoes and nectarines in tap water. “This is more effective because it carries away bacteria and viruses instead of recirculating them,” he concludes. Washington Post Benjamin Chapman, Director, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University (Raleigh, USA).

But how can we ensure that we remove some of the phytosanitary products and bad bacteria? Both experts recommend washing your hands thoroughly before cleaning food. They should then be washed in clean, cold water in a clean sink. A vegetable brush is recommended for thick-skinned produce such as carrots, while a strainer will do the job just fine for fragile produce such as blueberries. Fruits and vegetables with rough edges that are difficult to clean can be soaked in water for a few minutes. Finally, it’s crucial to dry these foods well, as water can promote microbial growth and cause the product to spoil prematurely, experts warn. Finally, it must be said right away that there is no miracle recipe for the peeling and cutting part either.