As I prepared to cut into the first watermelon of the season over the holiday weekend, I remembered to wash it first. As the knife moves through the rind to the fruit it can carry along dirt and pathogens from an unwashed skin. Remember last summer’s listeria outbreak that was traced to the rinds of cantaloupe? A simple washing of melons and hands before cutting could have avoided most if not all of those cases.
I always use a veggie rinse like Fit Fruit and Vegetable Wash to ensure my melons, and indeed, all of my produce, is really clean. Fit claims it removes 98% more dirt, chemicals, and wax than water alone when used correctly, and I suspect that most veggie washes are similar with a basic mix of baking soda and citric acid.
Even organic produce often are coated with anti-fungal agents, albeit natural ones, but not anything you really want to eat. My advice: spray and wash everything before you eat it raw or cook it.
For melons, spray with your veggie wash and rub it around with your hands for about a minute to really clean the orb well, then rinse with water and feel safe to cut away.
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