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Why wash fruits and vegetables with anything but water?

What kinds of fruits and vegetables should be washed?
How Should Vegetables and Fruits Be Washed?
What is Mom's Veggiewash made of?
How effective is Mom's Veggiewash?
Why is Mom's Veggiewash Unique?
Some vegetable washes claim to kill bacteria, why doesnt
Moms claim to kill bacteria? Isnt it better if it kills bacteria ?
8. Is there any governing body controlling what goes into fruit
and vegetable washes, such, as the Food and Drug
Administration or FDA?
9. Does the EPA investigate Vegetable Wash manufacturers to
make sure they make no claims to kill bacteria?
10.Haven't we quit using harmful pesticides in farming practices?

1. Question: Why wash fruits and vegetables with anything but

water?
Pesticides
Bacteria
Handling and Soil Contamination, nematodes, animal
droppings, and Human Contamination:
Pesticides:

Answer: Some pesticides used on crops are very persistent in the

environment. These chemicals are designed to withstand sun and
rain decomposition in order to save money by reducing the number
of applications necessary. The most persistent are the
organochlorines. They are also the most bioaccumulative, meaning
they are fat soluble and potentially take up residence in our bodies.
Some organochlorines such as DDT, no longer used in the US,
have been found in adipose breast tissue of humans as much as
20 years after its ban. Endosulfan is an organochlorine still in use in
the US. The produce imported from other countries is not subject to
the restrictions on pesticide usage. There is no information
available on pesticide use in some countries, further studies may
show that the use of US banned pesticides is still ongoing in other
produce growing nations. Moms Veggiewash is a mild surfactant
which has been specially formulated to dissolve and remove
pesticide residues from the skin of fruits and vegetables. Studies
have shown it removes at least 94% of oil-based chlorinated
hydrocarbon pesticide residue from produce.
Literature cited:

(1) Van Middelem, C.H. "Fate and Persistence of Pesticides", American Chemical
Society, Washington, D.C. 1970
Bacteria:

Answer: Recent media coverage has highlighted the problem

associated with bacterial contamination of raw fruits such as
strawberries and raspberries. Growing concern for the safety of the
food we eat has forced grocery stores to post food handling and
washing instructions. During the recent strawberry alert many
grocery stores posted signs instructing the consumer to rinse
berries thoroughly under running water. It is documented that
washing with a surfactant and water is far more effective at
reducing surface bacteria and spore from fungus and mold than
water alone. Mom's Veggiewash helps wash away bacteria, it does
not kill it. Any vegetable wash that claims to kill bacteria should be
classified as a pesticide. We don't recommend washing you fruits
and veggies with a pesticide. Click her to see related Q&A for
pesticides and the EPA.
Handling and Soil Contaminants, Nematodes, Animal Droppings, Human
Contamination:

Answer: Fruits and vegetables can be handled many times before

reaching your home. Health officials have known for years that
washing your hands numerous times in a day can help reduce the
risk of infection. Using Veggiewash is just like washing your hands
before eating. Numerous contaminants can end up on your fruits
and vegetables, nematodes are one such classification of creatures
which can be found and includes pinworms and their eggs,
tapeworm, and other parasites. They can be found in soil and
passed from humans as well. Anyone whos ever worked a summer
job picking in the fields, in a restaurant, bakery or packing plant,
cannery, or any food handling industry can attest to the
unspeakable conditions to which the food can be subject at times,
produce included.

2.

Question: What kinds of fruits and vegetables should be

washed?
Answer: The benefits of washing with Mom's Veggiewash over
water-only washing are obvious for vegetables and fruits which are
not peeled before eating such as leafy greens and broccoli,
cabbage, and cauliflower, but fruits such as oranges and bananas
which are normally peeled before eating, should be "shampooed"
as well. The fungicides and fumigants sprayed in the packaging,
contaminants from packing, shipping, and storage of produce are

still present in significant amounts and transfer to the hands of

children and adults when peeling the fruit, and then to the mouth.
Therefore it is recommended to wash the peel, skin or rind of the
following even though the skin is generally not eaten:
Honeydew
Cantaloupe
Pineapples
Kiwis
Papayas
Limes

Watermelon
Oranges
Mangoes
Bananas
Lemons
Grapefruit

3.
Question: How Should Vegetables and Fruits Be Washed?
Small and/or Sensitive Fruits and Vegetables
Leafy Vegetables
Wax coated and other fruits and vegetables

Small and/or Sensitive Fruits and Vegetables:

Examples: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, grapes,cherry tomatoes

Answer: Place in colander, spray with full strength veggie wash.

Shake the colander to move the fruit around making sure it is all
sprayed. Let it sit for a few seconds then douse in bowl of cool
water. Repeat, and then rinse in running water through the
colander, moving fruit around to insure proper rinsing.
Leafy Vegetables:

Answer: Break apart head of lettuce or spinach. Spray each leaf

and massage holding leaf between fingers and thumb, (as if
gesturing for money). Do the entire leaf and then rinse under
running water, still massaging as if gesturing for more money, until
the slippery feel washes away. Allow to drain in colander.
Note: Outer leaves have more pesticide residue than inner leaves.
They are older and have been in the field longer.
Wax coated and other fruits and vegetables:
Examples: cucumbers, apples, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, celery, broccoli,
cauliflower, string beans, snow pea pods, okra, eggplant, squashes, asparagus,
tomatoes

Answer: Use warm water, veggie wash and vegetable brush.

Douse in warm water for a few seconds to soften the wax, spray
veggie wash, full strength directly on the produce. Brush briskly.
Rinse under lukewarm running water. Test to see that all wax is
removed by running under cold water and drying lightly with a clean
dish towel. If a scale forms or a dusty powder is visible on the peel,
then a residue of wax exists. The wax, dried out and shrunken, due
to the washing, becomes visible. Repeat the entire procedure to
ensure complete removal.
Note: Some resins are very persistent and are very difficult to
remove or applied in a thick coat. For these cases a second
washing is recommended, even though the packaging may say the
resin is harmless to ingest, it is probably acting as adhesive for
other contaminants imbedded in the resin, or causing pesticide
residues to adhere to the produce.
4.
Question: What is Mom's Veggiewash made of?
Answer: Mom's Veggiewash is a proprietary formula of safe nontoxic inert liquid surfactants that contain no animal products.
Mom's Veggiewash is mild to the skin, biodegradable, contains no
perfumes, preservatives, or colorants. For those allergic to casein,
Mom's Veggiewash does not contain hyperallergenic corn or its
derivatives. Mom's Veggiewash's formula avoids using ingredients
that are suspected of causing negative health effects; the following
surfactants have been avoided: sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS),
cocamide, diethylamines (DEA), triethylamines (TEA), and
synthetic acetates. Mom's Veggiewash rinses clean from all foods
and is the result of over 10 years of research in the areas of food
production and health. Mom's Veggiewash was developed by
Charle-Pan Rockwell Dawson, chemist, clean food activist, and
mother of three; it is the optimal treatment for fresh produce on the
market.

5.
Question: How effective is Mom's Veggiewash?
Answer: When organically grown produce is not available, pesticide
residue can be removed from commercially grown fruits and
vegetables using Moms Veggiewash. Incidental contaminants
from handling, bacteria, also soil, animal droppings waxes, and
adhesives from labeling may be removed using Moms
Veggiewash. Moms Veggiewash is a mild surfactant which has
been specially formulated to dissolve and remove pesticide
residues from the skin of fruits and vegetables. Studies have shown
it removes at least 94% of oil-based chlorinated hydrocarbon
pesticide residue from produce.
Mom's Veggiewash Tested On the Toughest Pesticide
Pesticide usage involves four main classes of compounds,
organophosphates (OPs), organochlorines (OCs), carbamates and
pyrethroids. The most bioaccumulative, environmentally persistent,
and least soluble of all the pesticides are the organochlorines.
Therefore Endosulfan, an organochlorine, was chosen to do the
testing for Mom's Veggiewash efficacy. Fruit and vegetable washing
with Moms showed an overall reduction in Endosulfan by
approximately 94%.
Since we know that Endosulfan, the most difficult residue to
remove, showed such vast reductions, we are assured that the
other more soluble residues will be removed even more completely
with Moms Veggiewash. Endosulfan and all the lesser persistent
compounds are found on practically every vegetable and fruit you
eat. One such example of many is the use of these compounds on
the United States Broccoli crop. Table 1 shows the typical
application of such chemical compounds during the 1992 crop
season.
Table 1. Estimated Insecticide Usage on the National Broccoli Crop of 1992.

Agricultural
Insecticide
Carbaryl
Chlorpyriphos
Diazinon
Dimethoate
Disulfoton
Endosulfan

lb/acre/crop
year
1.54
1.49
1.06
0.61
1.11

Class of
Compound
carbamate
OP
OP
OP
OP

1.83

OC

Esfenvalerate
Fenamiphos
Fonofos
Methamidophos
Methomyl
Mevinphos
Naled
Oxydemeton-methyl
Permethrin
Pyrethrins
Total

0.05
1.83
1.70
0.78
1.08
0.84
1.54
0.53
0.14
0.01

pyrethroid
OP
OP
OP
carbamate
OP
OP
OP
pyrethroid
pyrethroid

16.14

Literature cited:
(2) USDA, Agricultural Chemical Usage, 1992 Summary

6.
Question: Why is Mom's Veggiewash Unique?
Answer: Mom's Veggiewash is a proprietary blend of non-toxic inert
liquid surfactants that contain no animal products. It is mild to the
skin, biodegradable, contains no perfumes, colorants, and rinses
clean.
Mom's Veggiewash is uniquely formulated and tested to provide the
highest quality fruit and vegetable wash available: The following
three attributes are unique to Mom's Veggiewash:

Mom's Veggiewash was proven effective on the most

bioaccumulative, environmentally persistent, and
least soluble of all the pesticides - organochlorines;
and

Contains no sodium lauryl sulfate, Cocamide DEA or

any diethylamines or triethylamines; and

For those allergic to casein, Mom's Veggiewash does

not contain hyperallergenic corn or its derivatives.

Mom's Veggiewash is the result of over 10 years of research in the

areas of food production and health. Mom's Veggiewash was
developed by Charle-Pan Dawson, chemist, clean food activist,
and mother of three, it is the optimal treatment for fresh produce.
7.
Question: Some vegetable washes claim to kill bacteria, why

doesnt Moms claim to kill bacteria? Isnt it better if it kills

bacteria ?
Answer: Moms Veggiewash does not kill bacteria. It helps remove
all residues including dirt, oils, pesticide residues, and bacteria, by
dissolving and washing them away. Moms Veggiewash is primarily
a surfactant or wetting agent. All soaps are surfactants or wetting
agents. Surfactants make water wetter. Surfactants break the
electrostatic attractions between residues and the surface of the
vegetable or fruit allowing water to dissolve and carry away the
residues.
I would not want to wash my fruits and vegetables with anything
that can kill bacteria. If it kills bacteria it may harm the friendly
bacteria of the intestines if small amounts are ingested or the
healthy bacteria on the skin. I would not trust any vegetable wash
that says it kills anything.
8. Question: Is there any governing body controlling what goes
into fruit and vegetable washes, such, as the Food and Drug
Administration or FDA?
Answer: At this time the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA)
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) has a section on washing
produce for the purposes of commercial food processing, but does
not have any regulations on vegetable washes for removing
residues, or what goes into making them. They do regulate
pesticides and bacteriacides. Anything claiming to kill bacteria or
germs would be classified as a pesticide or bacteriacide.
When I was in the early formulation stages for Mom's
Veggiewash I had studied the EPA CFRs. I found that we were not
in a controlled category. In other words there were no regulations
for fruit and vegetable washes of this type as long as we didn't
claim to be a bacteriacide. Under food processing there was a
regulation for the use of caustic soda or lye when stripping potato
peels and "cleaning" other vegetables for commercial food
processing. The section also explains the use of chlorinated rinses
for the purposes of washing commercially processed foods and
puts limits on the concentration of chlorine that may be used.
But there were and still are no regulations governing the
formulation of a product for the simple washing of fresh produce to
remove residues. I was astonished. This meant that anyone could

formulate a vegetable wash using all manner of bad ingredients. I

have looked into the ones that have come on the market since and
have seen some vegetable washes with ingredients that I would not
want to wash my hands with, let alone my fruits and vegetables!
Moms Veggiewash is a pure liquid soap. It is safe, but I dont say
that it is edible because some silly person might drink a bottle of it
and try to prove me wrong. Too much of anything will make you
sick. So please dont drink it. Rinse it off your fresh produce with
clean lukewarm or cool water.
9. Question: Does the EPA investigate Vegetable Wash
manufacturers to make sure they make no claims to kill
bacteria?
Answer: Yes. We have already undergone EPA scrutiny.
There were two issues associated with the EPA review of Mom's
Veggiewash:
1) Is the fruit and vegetable wash claiming to kill bacteria or is it
claiming to remove bacteria?
2) If Mom's Veggiewash is not claiming to be a bacteriacide or
pesticide, does this fruit and vegetable wash fall under any other
regulation or CFR ?
I was contacted by an EPA agent from the Albany NY region. He
had been assigned to this task months before and was gradually
making his way through the list of vegetable washes out on the
market. He had already printed out everything from my website ,
www.veggiewash.com and had it in a folder. I met with him and he
asked me to submit all the literature we use in marketing to make a
determination on whether or not we were in violation of any EPA
Federal Code.
I submitted all information concerning our product, Mom's
Veggiewash, to the EPA representative. He assured me that it
looked as though we were not in violation but would have to run it
through the system anyway. I was happy to have the product
cleared by the EPA, so I waited patiently. About four months later I
received a letter from the EPA regional office stating that the Moms
Veggiewash product literature was not making any claims that
would force the EPA to classify the product as a bacteriacide or
pesticide, and therefore it was not considered to be regulated under
the CFR. We were free to continue manufacturing and selling

Mom's Veggiewash, using the marketing literature we had

developed.
To this day we have never made any claims as to Moms being a
bacteriacide. Moms Veggiewash is a liquid surfactant. (Surface
actant) It acts on the surface to loosen residue that is held on to the
produce by electric charge (see surfactants). Much like washing
your hands with soap and water, Mom's Veggiewash removes dirt,
nematode eggs, pesticide and bacterial residues from whatever
you wash it with, much better than water-washing alone, because it
is basically liquid soap in a bottle.
If anything changes in the EPA CFR and new regulations are
developed, we will make sure we comply with the regulations.
10. Haven't we quit using harmful pesticides in farming practices?
No, in fact some pesticide usage has increased in the US. Here are
the latest updates for head lettuce from the USDA
2002 USDA Chemical Usage Update.txt