The quick & easy way to sanitize fruits, vegetables and food stuffs

The post COVID-19 era brings precautious times in which cleaning and sanitizing has become the new norm. Naturally, awareness about the food we eat and its purity has also risen. Are our fruits and vegetables safe to consume? Where do they come from and are they following a hygienic route to get to us? These are questions often being asked by Singapore households given that most of the fresh produce we consume is imported.

It’s pretty difficult to control every step of the supply chain. So, the onus falls on us to ensure our fruits, vegetables, meats, and other food stuffs are safe from pesticides and other harmful toxins and bacteria, before we consume them.

In this blog, let us find out what we should be cleaning off our food and how.

Is it Necessary to Sterilize our Food?

Fruits and vegetables have complex supply chains and are usually transported over long distances before they get to our urban homes. While government agencies such as NEA enforce and uphold food safety standards locally in Singapore, we cannot assume that they exist elsewhere (at the source).

The more touchpoints the farm produce goes through, the more chances of infections. The idea of ingesting pathogens and bacteria unknowingly is thus quite alarming. Meats can also carry pathogens however these can be eradicated by cooking them till the right temperatures.

Conventional Ways to Sanitize Food

First-off, we must clean our hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

To thoroughly clean fruit and vegetables, always use cold water and stick to natural cleaning solutions such as baking soda. Be careful not to keep wet vegetables or fruits in your fridge or pantry, after cleaning. This can lead to bacteria.

Remember to peel off skins and top layers of fruits or leafy vegetables and cut off parts with spots. Then, soak your produce in baking soda and water and finally, dry it thoroughly.

When it comes to meat, the most important rule when cleaning meats is to separate them from veggies and other food items while washing. Avoid cross contamination by clearing your kitchen sink or platform while cleaning off blood, sinew, and fat from the meat.

One good news is that meat does not need to be sanitized. Different types of meats have their own specific ideal temperatures at which all pathogens die. For example, red meat, lamb, veal, fish and seafood, the temperature is 145 Degrees F. Poultry that’s cooked till 165 Degrees F is good to consume.

Once you are done with cleaning or cooking meat, sanitize your kitchen sink, bench, knives and any tools that have come into contact with raw meat.

Alternative Ways to Sanitize Food

As you may have noticed so far, water plays an important role in any cleaning activity, whether it’s for your food, utensils, kitchen or clothes.

But what if the water we use is itself powerful enough to disinfect the food?

Ozonated Water

Ozonated water goes through a special treatment that infuses ozone into water, making it healthy, bacteria-free without using harsh chemicals. Ozone is a gas that comprises of 3 oxygen atoms. This enables ozonated water to kill microorganisms and inorganic pollutants.

Disinfecting Food with Ozonated Water at Home

Ozonated water is the most convenient way to wash fruits and vegetables.

It is more effective and less harmful than chlorine water or chemical sanitizers. It kills pathogens such as virus, bacteria and some parasites. Oxygenated or Active Oxygen Water Sterilizer has zero residue or byproduct, and this makes it the safest option in disinfection and sanitizing.

Active Oxygen Sterilizers or Ozone Water Generators are ideal for numerous hygiene purposes such as:

• Disinfecting cuts, washing the face or cleaning the mouth
• Sanitizing hands and kitchen utensils, foods and surfaces
• Sterilizing baby bottles, toys and other baby items

With innovation and technological advancements, we can now have the peace of mind without undergoing the rigor of old methods. The AOX Compac O2 is one such product that brings two innovations in a single product – Alkaline Water and Active Oxygen Sterilization. Try it today!