Help me settle a dispute!

[Binkles]

Okay, so here’s the story..

I, being the ever-cautious bunny mommy that I am, always wash Little-Bit’s veggies in hot water. I only ever buy her organic, so that lends the possibilty (or probability rather) of bacteria. My mother maintains that washing them in cold water is fine, and has in fact forbidden me to use hot water to wash them.

Now, it has always been my understanding that heat is an essential for killing bacteria on food…or anything else for that matter. The Bubonic plague did spread so readilly because people didn’t bathe in warm water, after all. =s

So my question to all of you is, how do you wash your veggies/ do you think it’s nescesary to use hot water or is cold water fine?

[Deleted User]

You know, I’ve always used cold water, so I’m not sure. It seems to me that putting warm or hot water on the veggies would help the bacteria to grow because you want to keep food in a stable temp. and avoid danger zones for bacteria growth.

Are organic veggies prone for bacteria? I suppose that would make sense since pesticides aren’t used on them…

[KatnipCrzy]

I don’t think bacteria is much of an issue with organic vs nonorganic- but I could be wrong.  It is generally pesticides that is what is used on the produce.  When the spinach industry had a breakout of e. coli or salmonella (I can’t remember which) all spinach was pulled- organic and regular.  I belive the bacteria was in the water source.

I have always used cold water to rinse my veggies to avoid wilting.  I am not sure how hot the water would have to be to kill any bacteria- but I know heat destoys the vitamins in veggies, but again not sure at what temp the nutrition is compromised.

I buy veggies once weekly when I grocery shop- rinse them, spin them in salad spinner, lay them on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels to remove more moisture and then store then in Green Bags (special veggie bags that prolong fresheness).  Moisture has always been my biggest enemy with veggies- too much moisture when you store them and they rot quicker and get slimy.

I would love to hear everyone elses input on this.  Very interesting topic.  I had never considered using hot water before.

[Scarlet_Rose]

I just had to jump in here.   In order to “kill” bacteria with hot water, the water would have to be hotter than what any human can tolerate (think about how you must boil water for 5 minutes to kill bacteria and make it safe to drink), we can generally tolerate temperatures of about 110 degrees farenheit.  To prevent food borne illness, keep cold food cold and hot foods hot.  That being said, rinse veggies in cold/cool water. 

Here is a bit of reading:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/bacteria/

The most recent outbreaks were caused by contaminated water used to irrigate the crops.  This happens because most water wells on farms are generally pretty old and the casing is old and there is no grout around it which helps to prevent seepage say from domestic animal feces which breeds bacteria.  This bacteria finds its way into the well from runoff or poor sanitary conditions and then the well is turned on to water the crops, and you can have an outbreak.  This is also the case where crops are irrigated from a ditch or a gallery-type well which basically collects runoff, domestic animal feces runs off into the ditch or is transported many miles to irrigate crops. Further, with organic farming, if the organic fertilizer like the most popular being manure is not aged long enough and is just tossed onto the crops, that too will also aid in a bacterial overgrowth explosion. 

In case you are wondering, my field of work involves well water/water rights.

[BunnyMuffin]

Yeah – I have no scientific input, but the prospect of washing veggies in hot water just sounds gross to me. 😛 I always use extra cold water to get them nice and crispy for the buns – but wash out the bowl with hot water and a dab of soap every night, with an occasional spin through the dishwasher. I figure, I’ve lived this long rinsing all my veggies in cold water without getting sick, so I’m sure the buns can take it too!

[Deleted User]

Wow, great info ScarletRose!

[Binkles]

Wow!! Thanks for all the info, guys! And an expert to back it all up!

Heh, how ironic…I would never have thought it! I’ll happily wash her greens in cold water now.

Guess I’ll go eat my hat for my mom now. xD

[Beka27]

i also wash in cold.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

LOL

Guess I’ll go eat my hat for my mom now

I can totally see what you were thinking with the hot water though!!

[Sage Cat]

I had to take sanitation and health classes when I was in cooking school.

According to the health Department and SafeServe – washing veggies in cold water will kill 99% of whatever might be in them.

[Binkles]

Wow, really Sage Cat? o.O That’s surprising! Do you need to use any kind of soap or sanitizer to achieve those kind of stats?

[skunklionshow]

I sometimes use the veggie wash spray & rinse w/ cold.  I also use the salad spinner.  My babies hate soggy veggies.

[Balefulregards]

Really – washing plain washing is the number one thing you can do to prevent food borne bacteria. As the kid of a nurse and someone who ran a large child care center with a USDA food program, keeping surfaces clean, not cross using utensils and washing were the first line of defense for a majority of issues.

Furthermore, I pointedly DO NOT buy anti-bacterial soap – for anything.

Regular soap is fine – maybe better, as the triclosan in the AB soap can get into our guts and do not so nice to the Normal internal flora that we need to digest our food. They are also now finding it in our water supplies. I am wary of the amount of “stuff” ( triclosan, antibiotics, birth control hormones) we are getting in our water and milk – which then flows back into our sewage and eventually our water and milk AGAIN.

[jerseygirl]

^^ I’m also wary of anti bacterial products. I personally believe we’re lured into false sense of security/or cleanliness! Half the time, the products recommend using too much of it and residual product left on surfaces actually becomes breeding ground for bacteria. At least that’s what I believe. I remember doing a science experiment in school where I tested washing hands with bar of soap against washing in just water. The petri dish that I put soap washed fingerprints on grew more nasties than the one without soap!

So Binkles, when you come to eat that hat, wash it in cold water or boil it for at least 5 minutes!

[Cassi&Charlie]

I am against all anti-bacterial shelf products too, cause you use it, ill 99.99% of bacteria, leave the surface for 20mins & all the bacteria has grown back, but now it’s resistant to the antibacterial thing – so I think it’s all pretty pointless.

Plus soap is really effective on its own & we all need a bit of bacteria in our lives

[baby_daisy]

I also always use cold for the fact that the only boiling hot water kills the bacteria that could be lerking

[Hedi]

I always wash my greens in cold as well.

What people dont realize about anti-bacterial products- it is what has CAUSED our super bugs like MRSA that is showing up all over the place. It forces bugs to mutate to servive so using antibacterial anything is never a good idea.

WE have done studies in the hospitals- washing your hands with out soap is just as effective as with soap as long as you are making the washing movements with your hands (if that makes sense.) Water temp for handwashing does not matter either. I always use cold water because warm water with frequent washing in the hospital makes my hands raw. There is no difference in water temps- the only good about using lukewarm water is that it has shown to increase bubbles with regular soap but that is all.

And those with fingernail polish OR fake nails- hold over 35% more bugs in their nail porse than those who do not polish their nails. Gross, huh?! Using polish on your names makes your nails extremely porous making a great place for bugs to hang out and hide.

I am so full of useful/useless info. lol

[Balefulregards]

Exactly Heidi – My mom was pediatric head nurse for years and we had basic handwashing drilled into us – she was the one to teach me about anti-bacterial soaps as no good.

And I worked in child care associated with hospitals for YEARS – so I know the agony of super raw hands – tepid water for me, with good thorough rubbing past my wrists, then using a paper towel to turn off the faucets. One of the local pharmacies in Vermont made a special glycerin and eucalyptus concoction for the nurses hands – We all swore by it in the child care too – it would insulate our hands a bit from the washing.

And the stories of the way that the staff have to suit up to go in to see patients with suspected super bugs? Terrible. Neccesary, but nonetheless terrible. She hates not being able to touch people – it is part of her healing philosophy.

Plus, some of the lit is now asking if the “kill all the bacteria” culture is leading to the rise in asthma in kids – the danger of living in over clean environments may be as long lasting as living in under clean environments

 

Got to love the internet – Here is the lotion! I pick up a bottle when ever I go home to visit:

https://www.beauchamppharmacy.com/hand_lotion.html

[Beka27]

i remember the nail polish thing from my dental classes. to this day i won’t use nail polish on my fingers.

[Hedi]

I am sure we have caused our own destruction with each health crisis. People are so scared of germs that they over protect. Bugs never hurt much of anything.

I spent 3 weeks in Russia on a medical missions trip a few years ago. Their cancer childrens hospital allowed the kids to go out and play in the dirt all day. They were so happy. Chemo in the morning, a little dirt in the evening. I think they had something right about that…

We had huge MRSA scares here in Ohio for awhile. Its always been around but people were taking it home from the hospital and giving it to others. The actual “germ” is something that can be found on almost everyones skin but when it gets internal it causes problems.

One day we wont have the antibiotics we need for simple infections because of over prescribing.

lol Ok Im done.

With the greens though– actually washing them “off” is what makes them clean. Allowing the water to run down them to push off any bugs works. Thankfully we have never had an issue with upset tummies in my house from veggies.

[Deleted User]

What is MRSA?

[jerseygirl]

Isn’t it golden staff? I don’t know??

[MooBunnay]

Wow – I feel so much smarter after reading this thread – and I have absolutely nothing of value to contribute Just that I wash my veg in cold water, and use the sprayer setting on my faucet to try to get a little more water power in there.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I never learned that nail polish thing!!!

But I’ve always thought long nails are gross for holding dirt. I have very manly trimmed to the quick nails -ten minutes volunteering and there’d be epic filth under them anyways!!! (Too bad Dave likes long manicured nails!! )

[Deleted User]

lol K&K! They must love us for who we are!
My BF likes long blond hair….so I died mine black….thinking of cutting it too!!!! hehe!

[Sage Cat]

Oops.

[Sage Cat]

Sorry, I have not been around for a few days.
So, yea, just water will “wash off” most things.

Like the people in the health industry said – nail polish can be yucky! There is actually no nail polish or make up allowed in the food industry – Health Department rules.

I remember teaching a class on pasta where I got to have a funny “learning moment” where I had to cut a chunk of freshly rolled out pasta and throw it away because of the bubble gum pink nail polish that was in the pasta. The girl wearing that polish was so embarrassed! Good thing it was a class.

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