What is the best method for cleaning produce - soaking or rinsing? Both - start with a soak, finish with a rinse.
What if I buy organic produce, do I still have to change the water?
I haven’t been able to gather enough information to give a precise answer to
that question. I was told by a food
safety expert that a study has not been performed to analyze reusing water when
soaking either non-organic or organic produce.
If you know the farm you’re purchasing produce from and are convinced the food is 100% organic, logic tells you should be able to reuse the water. Err on the side of caution though, if you aren’t sure about the farm change the water when washing fruits and vegetables.
The nutrients that remain in the water after washing your organic produce can certainly be used to water outdoor or household plants.
Please consult www.foodnews.org for a complete list of “Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce”.
What's wrong with using a colander, bowl or my sink to wash produce?
Colanders - Colanders, or sieves, have been around for hundreds of years. They have proven themselves over time. The negative with just using a colander is that most people place it under running water. Water is needlessly wasted due to the inefficiency of this method.
Bowls - A bowl is one way some people use to conserve water. The disadvantage of using a bowl is that there is no way to drain the produce. The food may become soggy as it sits in the water. Bowls aren't an efficient water-saving method if you have a number of foods to wash.
Sink - The major disadvantage to using your sink for washing produce is the risk of cross-contamination. What if you didn't properly clean your sink after having rinsed raw chicken or fish? You won't have to worry about cross-contamination when using the colander/bowl set.
How much will the colander/bowl set cost?
That’s a good question. Having it made in North America means that it probably will be expensive, perhaps in the $40-$60 range. If the set is made in India or China, the cost will be lower, in the $25-$40 range. I definitely want the set to be stainless steel. Stainless steel is durable, long-lasting and won't leach, as some plastics do.
Where can I buy it?
Nowhere, at the moment. I’m trying to get word out about this great product. Ideally I am seeking a company that will offer me a licensing agreement. I am also looking into manufacturing possibilities too.
How much water does the colander/bowl set save?
Recent tests gave the following results:
The water from the kitchen faucet was running at a slow to moderate rate. I timed that it took 26 seconds to fill one quart of water.
- I then put two pounds of strawberries into a colander. In washing the fruit, I picked up a strawberry in each hand, rubbing it and washing away any dirt. The water it took to wash two pounds of strawberries was 3 quarts 2 cups exactly.
- Not changing the flow of water, I then cut the stems off the strawberries. I cut the stems off rather quickly. An additional 3 quarts 1 1/3 cup of water was used in this process.
- That means that the total use of water to wash and cut the stems off the strawberries was a startling 6 quarts 3 1/3 cups!
- Using my colander/bowl set, the total water used to wash the strawberries was 2 quarts 2 cups. Those wanting to save even more could use as little as 2 quarts 1 cup water. Note: In using 2 quarts 1 cup water the fruit had to be moved about to allow the berries to be submerged in order to thoroughly clean them.
