Washing fruit doesn’t help fight agricultural toxins, the only cure is to peel it – Job

Anyone who thinks proper washing will remove toxins from your favorite piece of fruit will be disappointed, according to new scientific research. It turned out Toxic agricultural chemicals are more persistent than previously thought. Researchers now advise not just putting your apple under the tap, but peeling it.

Consumer Reports found in May of this year that 20 percent of 59 different categories of fruits and vegetables it examined contained traces of pesticides that posed a “significant risk” to consumers, even after thorough washing. It’s worth noting that the scientists based their research on data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Within the European Union, there are generally slightly stricter acceptance requirements for agricultural and horticultural chemicals than in the United States.

However, the researchers caution that washing fruits and vegetables does not completely remove pesticides. This is because the toxin does not remain on the peel, but rather seeps through it to the top layer of flesh. The research also showed that after removing the peel, which also included removing the top layer of flesh, the pesticides present were largely gone.

The U.S. Food Safety Administration has claimed for years that pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables do not pose a health risk as long as they fall within legal limits. The Consumer Reports study shows that the foods tested remained within those limits, but still pose a significant health risk. That means the government has set the limits too high several times.