Posted by
Peekenjoo
17 yrs ago
Hi everybody,
I just moved to Shanghai so I actually could use advice on almost anything... :-)
Today's question = How do I wash my vegetables here. Can I use tapwater? Do I need to use a special product? I found a detergent that shows dishes (so I suppose it is for washing dishes??) and vegetables and fruits on the picture. Should I put this detergent in the water when I wash veggies?
Thanks in advance!
Peekenjoo
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If you are eating the vegetables raw, then wash normally, then soak for a few minutes with a litre of water with a tablespoon of bleach in it. Then re rinse with tapwater. Most Chinese people will not eat raw veggies.
If you are cooking the veggies, then just wash with tapwater.
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After washing with tap water, I soak the green leafy veg in filtered water with a bit of salt for about 1 hr.
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i have lived in shangers for 3 years and i just wash in tap water its safe.
as for the bleach advice forget it.
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A little vinegar might be better than bleach if you felt the need for that something extra.
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Sorry, meant to say teaspoon, not tablespoon.
Have you seen the nightsoil (human waste) carriers that fertilize crops in China still? A quick dunk in water and bleach is a bit of insurance in case of that 'stuff' on the vegetables.
And the amount of pesticides used? Not much you can do about that though. I used to make sure my vegetables had a few bug holes in them...hopefully less pesticides used on them.
We're talking China here, not Hong Kong. The small wetmarkets don't have much in the way of standards or checks. And I was only referring to if you are eating the veggies raw and only in water and bleach for a few minutes.
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Hey there Ruth,
I think the problem is not whether it is a teaspoon, tablespoon, it's the fact that it's bleach, which is really quite toxic to the human body.
I think I'd rather take care to wash my vegetables thoroughly than add bleach into my diet, however small that amount might be.
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Yes, but you are rinsing the bleach off. And it's only a teaspoon in a litre or so of water. Would you rather ingest live fecal bacteria? That's why I didn't eat salad in China.
I guess we can agree to disagree.
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I think we should, as you say, agree to disagree.
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Perhaps a solution which everyone can agree on is this: buy baby bottle detergent and use it to wash vegetables. The Japanese brands like Pigeon usually have pictures of baby bottles and vegetables on the container. They are made from fruit acids and anti bacterial so safe for babies and also good for washing vegetables. I don't worry too much about bacteria but worry more about pesticides. These are effective for getting pesticide residue off vegetables. But since they're antibacterial, they can also take care of Ruth's concerns.
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"They are made from fruit acids and anti bacterial so safe for babies and also good for washing vegetables. I"
The problem with anti bacterial soaps and detergents is that they make bacteria resistant. Also, have you noticed they say they kill 99.9% of germs. The 0.01% that remain are the really tough ones, and they now have free rein.
Bacteria are typically not harmful. They're in our stomachs, in our beds, basically all over the place.
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The thing with the baby bottle sterilisers (such as Miltons) is that if I'm not mistaken, they contain Sodium Hyperchlorite...aka chlorine...aka bleach. The stuff you buy in the floor cleaner bottle is the same stuff as the baby bottle cleaner...only with a different pricetag!!
I'd not have a problem with rinsing my veggies in bleach so long as they were well rinsed afterwards but the thing that gets me is that you have to in the first place...
I eat fruit and veg (here in Sweden) straight from the fruitbowl or fridge and only rince in tap water if feeding to my son...the thought of having to take such precautions is saddening.
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"The thing with the baby bottle sterilisers (such as Miltons) is that if I'm not mistaken, they contain Sodium Hyperchlorite...aka chlorine...aka bleach. The stuff you buy in the floor cleaner bottle is the same stuff as the baby bottle cleaner...only with a different pricetag!!"
No huge surprise. In my opinion bottle sterilizers are a waste of money. Washing with tap water and normal dishwashing detergent works just fine. Even in HK. Just make sure the bottles are properly dry before use.
Those sterile bottles are non sterile as soon as you hold them in your hands unless you use gloves. Germs are not that harmful anyway.
"I eat fruit and veg (here in Sweden) straight from the fruitbowl or fridge and only rince in tap water if feeding to my son...the thought of having to take such precautions is saddening."
While I will agree that the HK and Chinese governments could do better with regards to clean air and water, it is also true that the problems faced in a place like HK are far tougher than in a country like Sweden. The population density is of a whole other order of magnitude and so the infrastructure is strained in a completely other way.
Sweden is a very idyllic place to live when it comes to clean air and water, quality of life and so forth. It is unfortunately the exception rather than the rule.
If I may digress for a minute to say that those things come at a steep economic price. A country like the USA, Japan, Korea, China, where certainly "quality of life" does not rank as high as in Sweden, has higher per capita income, or at least income potential. So while some people would choose the Sweden model, it should also be realized that it is not without sacrifices. Having said that, I still think more could be done in HK.
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RWeb
16 yrs ago
I've heard some people use detergent and some water and some bleach....why risk having bleech and/or detergent leaking into your vegetables. Mots have hard skin so it doesn't matter but there are still some with porous skin and some that are open like lettuces.....keep it to water when cleaning, and even then you dont need to clean ALL of them...
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Hi peekenjoo.
All the above threads have missed an obvious additive for washing vegs.
In the trade we used a solution of peroxide, harmless and most effective !!!!!!
DO NOT USE BLEACH IN ANY FORM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PEROXIDE IS IN TOOTHPASTE,MOUTHWASH AND MANY MORE ITEMS you can buy it cheaply and easily and NO harm to anyone,with clean shiny veg.
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