Coronavirus and vegetables

Many people are changing their hand washing, laundry and eating habits in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the fear of getting sick by eating contaminated food has led to some questionable cleaning practices, such as washing produce with soap or diluted chlorine. Some people even spray their food with Lysol. "Do not do that," warns Benjamin Chapman, Ph.D., food safety expert at North Carolina State University. According to its manufacturer, Lysol isn't meant to be ingested, and doing so could make you really sick, says Chapman. However, cleaning your fruits and vegetables is as important as eating them. Harmful bacteria like E. coli, Salmonella, and Norovirus can live on foods, especially lettuce, sprouts, and melon. Here's the right way to wash away dirt, bacteria, and pesticides.

Start with clean hands and surfaces

Wash produce just before eating

Just use water. Soap residue may stick to your food

Studies show that friction produced when drying your hands on paper towel removes additional bacteria, and the same is likely true for produce.