fruits and vegetables

Question

Hello, how well do I have to clean the fruits and vegetables to avoid contact with germs at risk?
Is it possible to wash them with chlorinated water and in which concentration?
We will soon start food diversification of our baby with cystic fibrosis and we would like to prepare his meals, but whithout risk to bring Pseudomonas aeruginosa at home via the potatoes, leeks and carrots ...
We recently tried the frozen vegetables for us and we were embarrassed to find a crunsch in our soup! Because of sand I suppose!
What do you recommend?
Thank you for your response

Answer

Dear Questioner,
As you probably know, the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is present everywhere in our environment and also at your home.
The contact with this bacterium is inevitable but that does not translate into a systematic colonization because then, all CF patients would be carriers of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
It is recommended for all to wash fruits and vegetables before use.
If you want to use some bleach, after first rinsing, ten drops (very little) of bleach with 2.6 % of active chlorine concentration by liter of water is enough for 5 minutes before a new careful rinsing.
I encourage you to cook delicious meals for your child without fear because cooking kills microorganisms.
Eating fruits and vegetables washed does not increase the risk of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection.
A diet rich in fiber and vitamins is important for everyone.
Wash hands after using the toilet and before eating and before cooking is also an important measure.
I hope that this answer will reassure you
Cordially
Yann Kerneur

21.10.2013