Re the Cleaning of Greens and Other Veggies

I found this note in my computer files. Although it's 'old news', it remains important.

Very Clean Veggies

You may have noticed that our recipes utilizing bagged salad greens call for them to be “thoroughly washed.” We added this phrase to our editing style after outbreaks of E. coli in spinach and salad. While rinsing under running water offers some protection against unsafe bacteria, Test Kitchens Food Scientist Kristi Michele Crowe, PhD, offers some better suggestions.

“Make a solution of 1 1/3 c hydrogen peroxide and 2 2/3 c distilled water, and keep it in a spray bottle in the kitchen,” Kristi advises. “Spritz the greens with the solution, rinse with running water, and then spin or pat them dry. Replace the solution once a week. It is an effective, budget-friendly solution to both expensive vegetable cleaners and to bleach, which the processors use.”

The peroxide solution works well on other vegetables, too, but Kristi says a good old-fashioned vegetable brush (used only for cleaning produce) and distilled water are good weapons against harmful bacteria.

from Donna Florio at Southern Living magazine