Naked Science Forum
Life Sciences => Cells, Microbes & Viruses => Topic started by: chris on 27/05/2017 00:12:54
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Malcolm got in touch from London to say:
I only discovered your programme 18 months ago, but I have listened to all the podcasts (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts) since the very first one and I have learned so much.
My question:
As humans, we are told to regularly wash our hands, even sometimes with anti-bacterial soaps or gels. But when it comes to eating fruit or vegetables, we are advised to merely rinse them under a tap before eating. Do fruit and vegetables have fewer and different bacteria on them to what we have on our hands? What is the difference?
What do you think?
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Bacteria that grow naturally on fruit and vegetables are somewhat different from what thrives in the human digestive system.
With a few exceptions:
- Some severe food poisoning outbreaks have occurred because improperly-treated sewage was sprayed on crops. This contains a high concentration of bugs that thrive in the human gut.
- There are people who handle vegetables at the picking, packing, and retail steps to your home. We hope that they have washed their hands!
- When "westerners" travel in foreign lands, it is recommended that you (1) never eat fruit unless it has a thick skin that you peel yourself, and (2) never consume anything uncooked (especially drinks with ice cubes). Water in another country may not be treated to the same degree as you have at home, and the bacteria in another country may be different from the ones you have at home, so you have no immunity.
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I think when we wash fruit, we're more so concerned with removing and chemicals form the agricultural process (fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides) These are quite likely very water soluble and definitely not lipid-based which would require soap to adequately get rid of them.
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All brilliant points and well made. Thanks team!