The truth behind baby carrots and pre-cut vegetables

Mevater

Thu, Nov 12 2015, 1:00 pm

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure.....rots/

Baby carrots and pre-cut lettuce are washed in chlorine.

I think theres chlorine in tap water, but Im sure the concentration of chlorine in what they use to wash the vegetables is much higher. How do you feel about that?

"....The truth is that baby carrots are no different from packaged lettuce or any other prepared produce -- like bagged lettuce -- you find in the grocery store.

Nutritionists say consumers concerned about the chlorine can just buy whole, unprocessed carrots and wash, peel and cut them themselves...."

MagentaYenta

Thu, Nov 12 2015, 1:08 pm

Mevater wrote:

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2014/01/07/truth-behind-baby-carrots/

Baby carrots and pre-cut lettuce are washed in chlorine.

I think theres chlorine in tap water, but Im sure the concentration of chlorine in what they use to wash the vegetables is much higher. How do you feel about that?

"....The truth is that baby carrots are no different from packaged lettuce or any other prepared produce -- like bagged lettuce -- you find in the grocery store.

Nutritionists say consumers concerned about the chlorine can just buy whole, unprocessed carrots and wash, peel and cut them themselves...."

The usual faux nooz fright factor. Yes chlorine is used to sanitize many raw processed foods, and then it's rinsed off. This is an old scare story from 2008 being recycled by faux. When you rinse any veggie in your sink it it's a dose of chlorine. If you are concerned about there are isotonic non detergent veggie washes available.

Mevater

Thu, Nov 12 2015, 1:30 pm

MagentaYenta wrote:

Youre right. Looks like all produce is rinsed in chlorine.

http://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.ed.....4.pdf

Chlorine concentrations generally used on selected vegetables:

Commodity Treatment type Available chlorine
(ppm)
Artichokes Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Asparagus Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Hydrocooler* 125–150
Bell peppers Sprayer over continuous belt 150–200
Dump tank 300–400
Broccoli Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Brussels sprouts Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Cabbage (shredded)† Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Carrots Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Flume 150–200
Cauliflower Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Celery Hydrocooler* 100
Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Corn Sprayer over continuous belt 75–100
Cucumbers Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Garlic (peeled)† Sprayer over continuous belt 75–150
Greens, chopped leafy Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Lettuce, butterhead Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Lettuce, iceberg
whole, shredded† Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Hydrovac cooler*
Lettuce, romaine Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Melons, all types Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Dump tank 100–150
Mushrooms‡ Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Onions, green Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Peas, pod-type Sprayer over continuous belt 50–100
Peppers, chili Sprayer over continuous belt 300–400
Potatoes, brown or red Flume 200–300
Dump tank (prewashed) 30–100
Sprayer over continuous belt 100–200
Potatoes, white Dump tank (for bleaching) 500–600
Pumpkins Sprayer over continuous belt 100–200
Radishes Sprayer over continuous belt 100–150
Dump tank 25–50
Spinach Sprayer over continuous belt 75–150
Sweet potatoes Dump tank (prewashed) 100–150
Squash, all types Sprayer over continuous belt 75–100
Tomatoes Flume 200–350
Dump tank 200–350
Turnips Dump tank 100–200
Yams Dump tank 100–200
Note: This table represents the combined range of concentrations from the product labels and technical
information of formulations currently registered in California. These concentrations are guidelines reflecting
industry practice; always follow directions, use rates, and tolerances list

zaq

Thu, Nov 12 2015, 6:11 pm

Diluted bleach breaks down within 24 hours, so by the time you buy prewashed veggies the bleach has disintegrated. You should always wash your bagged veggies even if they say prewashed, because nasty stuff like mold and bacteria grow quickly in moist environments. Mold spores are everywhere, so unless your veggies are bagged in a Silicion Valley clean room (and possibly even then) there are mold spores in that bag. Bugs, too, manage to get in, because as clean as the plant is, they cannot eliminate 100% of the bugs. The power wash may remove the bugs that were on the produce when picked, but there are still other kinds of bugs in the factory.