Don’t use bleach to clean fruit, veggies

By Lynn Allison From Newsmax

A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 19% of Americans are washing their fruits and vegetables with a bleach solution.

Although the CDC said people have done other high-risk things with household cleaners during the COVID-19 crisis — such as gargling with bleach or using it to clean their skin, using bleach to sanitize produce was the most common — and the most potentially dangerous.

According to Insider, it is unlikely you will get infected by the virus from your groceries, said Dr. Tamika Sims, the Director of Food Technology Communications at the International Food Information Council. Using bleach to disinfect food is not only unnecessary, it can be harmful.

“Bleach is not meant to be used to clean any foods or food products,” she told Insider. “The ingestion of any amount of bleach can be a major health hazard.”

According to Forbes, here are ways you can safely clean produce:

• Use clean water to rinse fresh fruits and vegetables. You may also use a scrub brush for cleaning firm-fleshed produce.

• Wipe down packaging. If your produce comes in wrapped plastic, you can take a disinfectant wipe to clean the surface. Never spray bleach on the packaging, as it can permeate the wrapping.

• Wash your hands before cleaning or handling any groceries, according to Healthline, and again afterward.

• If you are super anxious, you can use soap and water to wash fruits and vegetables, according to Healthline, but make sure you rinse them with water to remove all traces of soap.

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