Clean Greens For A Clean Bill of Health

First cantaloupe caused a scare across the country. And the latest news is that some shipments of Romaine lettuce have also been tainted with the deadly listeria virus. It has me wondering “What’s next?”

Last week, I talked about the proper technique for washing a melon before eating it. Here’s how to be firm with germs on other types of produce:

1.   Soak salad greens in a large bowl filled with cold water, 4 tablespoons of salt, and the juice of a whole fresh lemon. Let them sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse ‘em under cold water.

2.   Most bacteria and dirt are trapped near the ends of fresh fruit and vegetables, where the blossom fell off or the stem was attached. So before you wash that zuke or cuke, slice off—and dispose of—the ends.

3.   Wash waxy fruit or veggies, then sprinkle on a little baking soda, and use a damp paper towel to rub the coating off. Rinse each piece thoroughly when you’re done.

4.   Keep a bottle of this germ-killer handy to clean smooth-skinned fruits and veggies: Mix 1 cup of white vinegar and 3 cups of water in a handheld sprayer bottle and spritz your fruit or veggies with the solution. Count to 10, and then rinse it off under running water.

By the way, those handy bags of pre-chopped lettuce you can pick up at the grocery store are usually the culprits when it comes to carrying bacteria (they are in this case). So do yourself a big favor and wash any and all leaves thoroughly after tearing open the bag.