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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Five Really Good Reasons to Wash it Off Before You Eat It!


"God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt". That's what we used to say as kids when we dropped a prized piece of candy or food on the ground by mistake to justify still eating it. I know I did it! We all did! We would "kiss it up to God", blow it off, and say that little phrase. It's a wonder we survived! ;)

As clean as we think we are, there are moments where one can forget to be as conscientious about cleanliness as one should. One of those times is when we're hungry. How many times have you just popped a grape or a piece of veggie into your mouth without cleaning it off first? Well, even though you did survive, you probably ingested some nasty little business along with that tasty morsel.



Whenever I bring home fruits, veggies, meats and anything that I know has been touched by human hands, I make sure to thoroughly wash it off first. You have to remember that you don't really know where this food came from, who's handled it, and how clean or not so clean they were. Some foods go through a long line of people, places and things before they end up on your table, picking up all manner of bacteria, germs and parasites along the way, and you really just can't trust that everywhere along the line the correct measures have been taken to insure that your food is clean.
Pesticides, salmonella, e coli, and human waste are but a few of the things that are picked up by many foodstuffs, from the farm, to the packaging plant, to the supermarket and then to you. Err on the side of caution and be sure to wash it off yourself.

I was reminded of this just this past weekend. While in the fruit department getting apples, I noticed a woman picking through a bag of cherries and eating them. She'd fish through the bag, grab a couple, stick them in her mouth and suck off the fruit, and then spit the pits into her other hand (the one that was holding the bag). Then she'd repeat the process, once again sticking the fingers that had just been in her mouth back in the bag for more cherries. After a few rounds of this, she then rezipped the bag up, and tossed it back into the pile of bagged cherries that she got it from. I thought I was gonna retch! Yuck!!
The person that does end up with the bag of cherries this woman just spread all her germs through will have no idea of what transpired with those cherries prior to purchase. Hopefully they will be smart and careful and wash them off first!
And you wonder why some get sick with flu and colds so easily. It's by other unsanitary people that you pick up these germs!

It just pointed out to me that you really don't know what food goes through before you get it, so you need to remember that and clean your foodstuffs off well.
Besides the nastiness that food can pick up from the farm and manufacturing plants, the people that touch and process your food might not pay the type of attention to good hygiene that they should.
Don't even get me started about what can go on in the kitchens of restaurants. That will become a whole other post!

Food handlers and eaters! These are some rules you should work and live by:

• Wash your hands with soap and clean water before preparing or eating food.

• Avoid coughing or sneezing near food, or touching your nose, mouth, hair, body cavities and personal areas while preparing food.

• Avoid preparing food if you are sick or if you have wounds or sores on your hands.

• If you have to blow your nose, clean your ears or eyes, or in any other way attend to your body, excuse yourself to a washroom and do it there, remembering to wash your hands before returning to food preparation and handling.

If everybody did that, I'd sleep (and eat) a lot easier! Seriously! :) Let's all do what we can to keep it clean, folks! :)




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26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yuck... I'm SO germophobic. It really bothers me to think about where my food has been. I wash everything, but I always wonder "Is this cold water I'm using to wash my fruits and veggies really enough?"

That lady you talked about eating cherries - that's nasty. That's why I don't go to buffets. You never know who's sneezed, or coughed, or gone to the bathroom and not washed their hands, then grabbed the spoon that you just touched, then you grab your biscuit and lick your fingers. GROSS.

Anonymous said...

It's already so difficult for me to eat in a restaurant because of sanitation issues, this little reminder about grocery stores made me sick all over again. Grocery stores are not clean places. We think of hospitals as sanitary but look how many people die of infections cause by the germs in hospitals!

Sudha said...

Great post Diva!!Yes it takes hardly any time to wash hands,fruits and veggies before we eat but it can save as from many dangerous and dreadful diseases!

gLoR!e said...

eeewwww...i can't stand thinking of those germs heheh i definitely wash any veggies and fruits before i plan of eating..better prevent than cure even just only colds!:)

Daisy said...

The story about the cherries is yuck-o! I think the worst place to eat is at buffets.

Call me A.S for AkiraSabine said...

Can't agree more with you, Fitness Diva. Food safety comes first!

Anonymous said...

Ha, that's gross. I would have totally reemed out that lady who was popping her cherries... err, no pun intended there ;)

What do you guys think about all those products that claim to wash fruits and veggies better than plain old water?

Anonymous said...

Certainly a very good reminder for all of us and I agree with Daisy, buffets are certainly one of the worse places for all those germs.

Dori said...

I'm SO with you on this one. I always wash veggies and fruit religiously. I wash my hands a lot too. I'm so scared of cooties :-)

Anonymous said...

It could have been a really good friend that he hasn't talked to forever and why I've had that problem before and he was cheating, so beware girls.out of ten you can bet if someone is asking they have good reason to believe their Strange socks/clothing in the wash, and you know you both check the

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

Okay, I remember the dirt don't hurt thing because as kids we did use it to eat all kinds of candy that fell on the ground but I do agree with you on this. Yikes! Yucko!

HEALTH NUT WANNABEE MOM said...

Okay, I remember the dirt don't hurt thing because as kids we did use it to eat all kinds of candy that fell on the ground but I do agree with you on this. Yikes! Yucko!

Unknown said...

I am ridiculas about washing my hands, and my food. I eat an apple every day and wash it thoroughly. My biggest fear/challenge is restaurants...ya never know.


peace,
mike
livelife365
Social Networking Blues

Anonymous said...

I've seen enough to make me want to grow ALL of my own food. Yuck!

Anonymous said...

It's really important to wash our hands regularly and to wash the food before eating it. We can also get hepatitis from unhealthy food preparations. My brother was a victim, luckily we were able to find out early and bring him to the hospital.

Davida said...

YUCK!!! I'm already a semi-germaphobe...that's disgusting. Did you see the last "Incredible Hulk"? I'm talking about the one with Edward Norton. There's a scene where some blood trickles down into a glass bottle at the factory. It's shipped out, sold, and ingested by an unknowing customer. This got me to thinking about how we have NO IDEA what is in or on our food. Scary. I guess that's where saying a blessing over your food before you eat it comes from. I want to grow my own garden...

Davida

Paul Eilers said...

I laughed when I read what you said about dirt when you were a little girl. Kids!

And it is a wonder that woman was not arrested for shoplifting. At the very least, she should have been escorted into the store office and reprimanded!

Also, I know I am guilty at times of eating fruits or veggies and not washing them off. I guess it's a guy thing.

Paul

Eat Well. Live Well.
PurpleGreenPops.com

Anonymous said...

All good points. I always make a point of rinsing our fruit and veggies before eating or preparing them. I rinse packaged meat like boneless skinless chicken breasts before marinating or preparing them in anyway as well.

Another point .. unless you are buying organic, those fruit and veggies could very well have pesticides on them as well so that's another reason to rinse them off well.

Anonymous said...

Hey, Sadie....that lady was disgusting, but I see people pick and eat fruit out of the fruit section all the time. Thing is, they usually just pinch a grape or two and move on. This chick stood there and had her own feast! Don't even make me think about buffets!lol

Retired, I could only imagine the little nasties one picks up in the hospital. oooey, I don't even want to think about it! lol
One day I swear, I will only grow and cook my own food. That's the only way to know who's hands have touched it, and where it's been! :D

sudha, we do take it for granted. I'm sure you can go for most of your life and never get sick from eating some dirty thing, but then there's that one time.....

Ummm....congrats, Rosa...
I'm not sure why you're telling me? I'm not a sponsor on that contest??? At least not for the prize you're indicating. I will check again...

beth said...

Good common sense list that so many people don't pay attention to.

Anonymous said...

Good article. I like your suggestion and it is necessary wash fruits and foods before eating.

Anonymous said...

That is wrong what that lady did when picking out fruit. People need more respect for others.
Thanks for the post.

Anonymous said...

Great post, I am a maniac about washing my hands and fruits and things. I don't get how people can not do so.

Anonymous said...

uh oh... I saw this pic on one of my friend's blog - a stray cat sleeping soundly on top of the fruits being displayed in a market stall. :D

Anonymous said...

A nice wash is always good.. I agree..

I am a bit of a germaphobe myself however i have heard it is good occasionally to get exposed to germs to keep the immunity up..

However that does not mean i don't avoid it also.. :)

Custom Labels said...

Ewww...it's hard to think that those who are preparing our foods aren't washing their hands. I hate thinking of all the fruit in the grocery store that's picked up and pinched for firmness before later being picked up by the person who takes it home. How many hands touch our produce before we eat it? yuck!

 
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