Food Cleaning Tips: Everyone likes the taste of juicy grapes in the summer season. Whether it is black or green grapes, their consumption is considered very beneficial for health. But did you know that those shiny and fresh looking grapes adorning your plate may have an invisible layer of pesticides on them? To protect fruits and vegetables, chemicals are often sprayed on them, the residue of which sticks to the very thin skin of grapes. If you eat them without cleaning them properly then it can pose a big risk to your health.
Simply washing with plain water is not enough to make grapes completely safe. By adopting some natural and effective methods at home, you can completely remove harmful chemicals and dirt from grapes.
Start cleaning by placing the grapes in a strainer and rinsing them under running water for about 30 seconds. During this, gently shake them with your hands so that a large amount of dust, soil and pesticides accumulated on top gets cleaned. Mere soaking is not enough. Rub each grape gently with your fingers as you wash them. This abrasion helps remove stubborn residue, wax and dirt that won’t be removed by running water.
Simple things present in the kitchen are very helpful in breaking down pesticides. Mix one teaspoon salt in a bowl of water and soak the grapes for 10 to 15 minutes. Salt helps to draw out impurities from the skin. Similarly, soaking grapes in water containing one teaspoon of baking soda for 15 minutes is considered most effective because baking soda has the ability to break down chemical residues.
Vinegar can be used to reduce the amount of bacteria and pesticides from grapes. For this, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar and three parts water and leave the grapes in it for 10 minutes. Keep in mind that after this it is necessary to wash the grapes again with clean water so that the sour taste of vinegar is completely removed.
After soaking the grapes in any solution (salt, soda or vinegar), wash the grapes under clean running water at least twice. This ensures that all traces of the pesticide as well as the solution used for cleaning are completely removed. After washing, spread the grapes on a clean kitchen towel and gently pat them dry. It is important to remove moisture so that bacteria do not grow on them and they remain fresh for a long time.
To store grapes, keep them in the refrigerator only after drying them completely. Keep them in a box or bag which is ventilated. Never store wet grapes in an airtight box, as moisture can cause them to rot very quickly. By adopting these easy home remedies, you can enjoy grapes without any worries and keep your family safe.
