[JWilkins]

Is water enough, or do I need to get a product for washing fruit and vegetables?

[Curlyben]

Running water is just fine.

[joypulv]

Water is enough, despite the hype about products for washing.
Studies I have read, however, say that on most fruits and vegetables (except those with thick skins that you don't eat anyway) pesticides soak through and washing gets very little off. An apple, for instance, will have pesticides under the skin.
A good reason to buy organic when you can afford it, since a lot of the nutrition is in the skin.

[JWilkins]

Thanks, Joypulv. I've also read that if contaminated water has been used to irrigate that the contaminants can be taken up into roots and into vegetables like lettuce. I need to research organic, I suppose. If they use uncomposted manure to fertilize soil, it would seem that ecoli could be drawn into the vegetable?

[redhed35]

If your washing lettuce or cabbage or any leafy vegetables adding a little salt to the washing water will kill any pesky flies,bugs, worms, caterpillars etc that may be on them, then just rinse off with plain water.

[joypulv]

I think that you will find that organic farmers take more care than the big outfits (and of course a lot of produce comes from out of the US).
I buy organic leafy greens, potatoes (the stuff they spray on potatoes is very scary, and the farmers have their own little family organic plot), carrots because they taste so much better, and anything else that's on sale or reasonable. I have my own apple and pear tree.