Growing up, the arrival of apple season was always enough to get me through the back-to-school blues. The sweet aroma of apple cider doughnuts and the numerous haystacks provided necessary relief from the pungent smell that lingered in the city. While my siblings would fight over who got to use the long stick to reach the highest apple on the tree, I spent my time traversing the orchards searching for low-hanging fruit. There was something about picking an apple from the tree and taking a big ol’ bite that just hit the spot. Of course, all of this came crashing down when I got braces, but that is a story for another time.

My parents disapproved of this practice because there was no place for me to wash the apples. This always frustrated me. Why did I have to take the same precautions as I did with grocery store produce? Was this not the purest and cleanest apple acquisition process?

That is why, when the OSS received a question from a reader asking about the importance of washing fruit even when they are home grown – I set out to find an answer, not only for the question-asker, but for my past self.

How Organic is Organic?

Before we get started, it is important to understand what it means when something is grown organically. Lots of home gardens are organic because they do not use artificial pesticides or fertilizers. So, by that logic, organic just means pesticide free, right? Wrong. According to Canada’s Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), certain pesticides may be used in organic crop production. However, these products can only be used if all other organic practices have failed. Such practices include crop rotation, when different crops are grown seasonally to avoid the same species of crops being grown in the same place year-round; barrier usage; or trap crops, which attract pests away from the target crop.

If none of these organic methods of crop preservation work, farmers are allowed to use certain pest control agents such as biologicals (beneficial insects or microbes), botanicals (plant-based insecticides), or certain minerals (such as sulfur) to deter pests. However, these substances must be listed on what can only be seen as the official organic shopping list for farmers: Table 4.2, Column 1 or 2 of CAN/CGSB-32.311, meaning that they have the CFIA’s approval to be used in organic crop production. If farmers use these products, they must keep a log of not only which of the substances they used, but also why they were unable to use organic control methods.

Just because your produce has a flashy organic sticker on it, doesn’t mean that it is pesticide-free, it just means that specialized types of pesticides that occur in nature are used rather than synthetic ones.

A United Front Against a Common Enemy

Even though pesticides get a bad rap, when it comes to food poisoning in the traditional sense, they are not to blame. While many people get hung up on pesticides – it is important not to forget that harmful bacteria exist too. Even when pesticides are used, whether they be natural or synthetic, bacterial contamination is still a looming threat. Organic produce is certainly no exception.

Bacterial pathogens can infect fresh produce through a number of pathways, including contaminated manure, water, and/or soil. Once these pathogens are introduced into the growing environment, they can establish colonies on the produce and spread. Many of these pathogens are household names such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. Bacterial contamination can be nearly impossible to detect with the naked eye. Even if you think your garden is safe, say your water source has been unknowingly contaminated, or an infected animal has used your beautiful garden as a bathroom, it is a good practice to always wash your produce, home grown or not.

The first step to a good wash is to clean your hands and surrounding surfaces first. The next and last step is to use your - very clean - hands to rub the produce under cold running water to rid it of any dirt or grime. If your produce has rougher or uneven skin, like a potato or cucumber, it’s a good idea to use a clean produce brush to scrub any nooks or crannies. There’s no need to use special fruit and vegetable washes. While these products have often been touted as being more effective than using just water – these claims are essentially baseless. They aren’t harmful, but there’s no real need to purchase them when you have good old water.

As for leafy greens that say they are “pre-washed” or “triple washed,” according to the Government of Canada Produce Safety page, if they are in a sealed container, they do not need to be washed before eating. If, however, the greens are in unsealed bags or containers, you should take to the sink!

While the likelihood of getting sick from the fruits of your labor (pun intended!) is fairly low, it is never zero. That is why it is always a good idea to wash your produce no matter its origin. (So maybe my parents were right to get mad at me all those years ago!) If you want to pop a tomato in from your garden in your mouth, you’ll probably be fine. But of course, always trust your judgement; a fresh veggie may not be worth the risk.

@‌EvaKellner

Eva Kellner is a recent graduate from the Faculty of Arts and Science, with a major in Environment. Her research interests include urban green spaces, urban agriculture, and outdoor community spaces - all as promoters of climate resilience among city-dwellers.

*Part of the OSS mandate is to foster science communication and critical thinking in our students and the public. We hope you enjoy these pieces from our *Student Contributors and welcome any feedback you may have!