Baking soda is a wonderful ingredient with so many brilliant and effective uses. Baking soda removes up to 96 percent of pesticides from fruit and vegetables, new research reveals. When mixed with water and gently rubbed on apple skins, it eradicates nearly all the residual pesticide left on the fruit within 15 minutes.
It has been found that the baking soda method is much more effective than the standard technique of bleaching fruit for two minutes to remove pesticides. Previous research reveals baking soda breaks down pesticides due to its highly-alkaline pH, so it is able to neutralize pesticides by breaking them down into harmless molecules.
‘Pesticide residues may remain on agricultural produce, where they contribute to the total dietary intake of pesticides. Concerns about potential hazards of pesticides to food safety and human health have increased, and therefore, it is desirable to reduce these residues.’ Lead author Dr Lili He from the University of Massachusetts, told Mail Online.
How the research was carried out
University of Massachusetts published a study on the effects of baking soda on gala apples. In the study gala apples were sprayed with two types of pesticides – phosmet, which is a known insecticide, and thiabendazole, a fungicide. After penetrating apple peels, apples were rinsed with three liquids: tap water, one percent baking soda mixed with water, and the most popular bleaching solution. Electronic mapping technology was used to assess pesticide presence on the surface of, and inside, the apples.
The results: Baking soda removes up to 96% of pesticides
After 12 minutes of gentle scrubbing, the baking soda solution removes 80 percent of thiabendazole, while it takes 15 minutes to remove 96 percent of phosmet.
Thiabendazole is thought to be more difficult to remove due to it more readily penetrating fruit’s surfaces.
You can try this solution
- Simply add a few tablespoons of baking soda to a bowl of water.
- Place the produce in the solution to soak for a few minutes.
- Rinse with cold water.
Source: dailymail.co.uk
8 thoughts on “Baking Soda Can Successfully Remove Up To 96% Of Pesticides From Fruits And Vegetables”
Karen Mitchell
(November 17, 2019 - 6:43 pm)Why the heck can’t they just STOP using cancer causing chemicals? So we need to scrub each piece of fruit for 20 minutes? Jeeepers, think of all that water going down the drain, just to do that. Give me home grown any day!
Eva Mikulic
(February 19, 2020 - 1:02 am)A better solution is definitely Kangen Water 11.5. It removes pesticides like a charm and it is water only and is very easy to use it … no chemicals, no scrubbing. Check my free eBook: https://www.kangenwaterecolife.com/en_CA/ebook
Eugene
(February 20, 2020 - 6:27 am)YES – and Pyrethrum ? Marigolds, Calendula etc.
Please organise a “Like and Follow page” thingy
Blocked as a suspected Bot
Microblading Edmonton
(February 28, 2020 - 10:47 pm)This is a handy bit of information. Thank you for sharing.
Prem Kumar Neopanay
(June 19, 2020 - 3:59 am)Its very useful information, thanks for sharing
Kim Allen
(October 1, 2020 - 3:33 pm)Baking soda is NOT high alkaline. It is neutral. It is used as a base to lower acidity or alkaline. If you don’t even have that right, I have to wonder about the accuracy of the rest of this article
Smannel
(October 25, 2020 - 5:41 pm)You don’t consider a pH of 8 alkaline? A base by definition is alkaline. Neutral is 7. Below 7 is acidic, above 7 is basic. If you do not believe the baking soda gets rid of pesticides then don’t use it. Everyone else reading this is capable of making their own decisions and reading for themselves without your denigration of the info.
James Padgett
(October 28, 2020 - 7:18 am)Thank you for this good info!