The demand for fruits and vegetables has skyrocketed and so are the prices. And to meet this demand and keep the prices in check production of these food items is increased by using lots of harsh chemicals and pesticides on plants. So in this age of modernity where luxury is a necessity affording and getting chemical-free and organic fruits and vegetables have become a rarity.
Although you can avoid such food items it is always possible to remove these chemicals and pesticides at home with a few effective tips so that you do not ingest harmful and toxic substances.
The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) recently released a Dietary Guideline for removing the residue of pesticides from fruits in simple steps which can be easily adopted by every Indian home.
Washing
Washing is the first step in this process. Use 2% salt water to remove most of the pesticide residue that is normally present on the surface of fruits and vegetables. More often 75 to 80% of pesticide residues can be removed by washing these items in cold water.
Fruits and vegetables like plums, guava, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, mangoes, okra, brinjal, and tomatoes should be washed 2 to 3 times in salt water or cold water so that the pesticide residues are completely removed.
Leafy green vegetables should be washed two to three times in water to remove all the residues of chemicals. Apart from that blanching and cooking also removes most of the pesticides.
Blanching
In some cases like leafy vegetables or potatoes, blanching can be used to remove chemicals but it should be done after these food items have been washed thoroughly in water.
Peeling
Both contact and systemic pesticides can be easily removed by the peeling method. Fruits such as mangoes, apples, chikoo, and vegetables like beetroot, radish, and carrot can be made pesticide-free by taking off their peels.