Kiwis, like any fruit or vegetable you plan on consuming, should be washed.
It is important that they are washed and cleaned, as there is a lot of bacteria/chemicals/foreign materials that can attach itself to the exterior skin of the fruit.
The CDC explains that washing produce before consumption is part of food safety and it reduces your risk of getting foodborne illnesses such as Listeria, E. coli and salmonella.
A Quick Rundown as to Why Clean Your Kiwi
When you wash kiwi fruit before eating them, is a good way for you to remove whatever bacteria may be lurking on the surface of the fruit.
Once the fruit is picked from the tree, there are so many things that it can be exposed to. When the fruit is washed, it has ability to remove a lot of these contaminants (like chemicals).
If you are planning on peeling your kiwi, it is still important that you wash the skin of the fruit before this. Also the fruit, could still have contaminants on there and when you cut with a knife, this could be directly transferred to the fruit that you will be eating.
Kiwi is grown and harvested outside and it is exposed to a variety of contaminants and bacteria. Chemicals that are used to treat the fruit or other produce on the farm could find its way onto the skin of the kiwi.
As it relates to bacteria, it can come from farm animals, birds, water that is used in irrigation, as well as different fertilizers.
What to Note Before Washing Your Kiwi?
If you are one of those people likes to wash their fruit before they are placed in the refrigerator, then a quick tip is that you shouldn’t.
Water and fruits are not a good combination if you are planning on storing them to eat at a later time. Water allows bacteria to grow and you will quickly find that the fruit you washed and placed in the fridge has become spoiled/rotten after a couple of days.
If you do plan on washing them, they allow the kiwi fruit to dry thoroughly before placing them in the refrigerator.
Getting your kiwis clean is not a long and drawn out process. You should have them washed and ready to eat after a couple of minutes.
Steps:
Check your kiwi for any stems, leaves or dirt; remove if you can.
Place the kiwis in a bowl, running it under the tap water as the bowl fills up.
Swish the kiwis around, this will allow any dirt or chemicals to be removed. You should alternate by taking them out of the bowl and running them under the tap, gently rubbing them to dislodge anything that might have been attached to the fruit’s skin.
Once finished, it is time for the secondary wash. Place the kiwis in another bowl and this is where you are going to add your fruit/vegetable cleaner. If you do not have one, you can make your own, using ¼ cup of vinegar to 1 one gallon of water. This homemade wash is effective at cleaning and killing bacteria that might have settled on the fruit. You will move the kiwis around like you did in step 3.
Once finished, do a final rinse under the tap.
You are now going to take a clean kitchen/paper towels and place the kiwis on it. You will let them sit and air dry, before eating or storing in the fridge.
Once dried, peel and enjoy.
Wrapping it up
Not to beat a dead horse, but as you can see it is extremely important that you wash your kiwi fruit before eating it.
There are a million different contaminants that can find its way onto the outside of the fruit and by watching and doing a thorough cleaning, reduce the risk of consuming chemicals/bacteria/ foreign matter that could make you sick.
A word of advice, you do not plan on eating the kiwifruit right away, do not wash it and put it down, until you are ready to eat it.
With over a decade of exploring tech, food, travel, and beyond, Jeremy Dixon knows what’s worth your attention. A seasoned content curator, he uncovers the gems that make life more interesting, backed by solid research and a passion for quality.
