Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Trader Joe's Fruit & Vegetable Wash



Special note: This is Day 3 of Coconut Week. I know--you're wondering how this odd product makes it into Coconut Week. It's because the main cleaning agent is derived from coconut oil and corn oil. I told you that you'd be surprised what pops up during Coconut Week! 


I'm not one to worry much about chemical residue on produce, despite Meryl Streep's dire warnings. I sometimes wash fruits and vegetables before eating them, sometimes not. But when I do, it's really just a quick rinse under the faucet, which probably does next to nothing. This is the first time I've bought a product specifically meant for that purpose, since I'm not really convinced it's necessary. But I was curious.

Here's what I can tell you for sure: It effectively removes the glossy, slightly lubricated feel that I can detect on the outside of some apples, pears, etc., which I assume is the result of a thin coating of edible wax. Dribble a few drops of this stuff on a piece of fruit, add a little water, swish it around in your hands, rinse and dry. The result is a distinctly less waxy feel, and a surface that is somewhat duller, less reflective of light. I infer that this means that I have succeeded in removing or at least reducing a previously applied exterior coating of some sort.

It does this without leaving any soapy taste or residue, as things like dish detergent might.

But does it matter? Am I better off for having that wax removed? Are there pesticides hiding in or under it? If there are, does it do me any good to flush them down the drain before I eat the fruit? I don't know the answers to any of those questions. The process does make me feel like I've accomplished something worthwhile, but I may just be fooling myself.

Will I buy it again?

This bottle is going to last for a long, long time, so it will be, I'd estimate, a few years before I have to decide that.

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