Why do some people do this (eat grapes) at grocery stores?

[VacationForever]

I grew only eating cooked vegetables and peeled fruits. We washed our grapes, plums, apples, pears etc thoroughly before peeling each of them. I did that for the first 30+ years of my life. It was only in the last 20 years or so that I started eating some salads and eating my fruits without peeling them. I still scrub the the outside of papayas and melons (water melon, cantaloupes...) with soap and water before cutting them up.

 

[heathpack]

I personally eat around 5 heads of romaine lettuce per week (I do wash it though, because I don’t like crunching dirt). And usually three half-pints of unwashed berries each week. I’ve never in my life peeled a grape! Or scrubbed a watermelon. I eat mayo that I make from raw eggs. And rare meat.

I know. Living dangerously.

 

[Glynda]

We soak our grapes in water with some white vinegar then rinse.

 

[Passepartout]

I grew only eating cooked vegetables and peeled fruits. We washed our grapes, plums, apples, pears etc thoroughly before peeling each of them. I did that for the first 30+ years of my life. It was only in the last 20 years or so that I started eating some salads and eating my fruits without peeling them. I still scrub the the outside of papayas and melons (water melon, cantaloupes...) with soap and water before cutting them up.

There were (still are) some places in this big ol' world where cooking, or peeling is the only sure way to avoid some really nasty stuff, like dysentery & cholera. Parts of Asia still use human waste as fertilizer, or it is just local custom to relieve one's self out in a field. If someone is going to eat something from downstream, so be it. But REALLY, the OP was in a Whole Foods, in the organic section, and while I can't be totally sure where those grapes came from, if I'd been there, with my healthy immune system, if probably have tasted a couple too.

re: washing melons. Good idea. They grow in contact with the ground, and a knife sliding through their skin can easily drag surface stuff onto the sweet flesh inside.

And now my pet cooking peeve. Cracking eggs on the edge of the bowl. Ever notice it pushes egg shell way into the egg? Know where that egg shell came from? So crack your eggs in a flat surface, like the counter or the stove, but so that you don't push possibly contaminated egg shell into the white.

Jim

 

[DaveNV]

And now my pet cooking peeve. Cracking eggs on the edge of the bowl. Ever notice it pushes egg shell way into the egg? Know where that egg shell came from? So crack your eggs in a flat surface, like the counter or the stove, but so that you don't push possibly contaminated egg shell into the white.

Jim

I never considered the edge of the bowl doing that, but it does make sense. Even though the eggs you get from the store have been thoroughly sanitized before packaging. The closer you get to the chicken, the more likelihood of contamination, I suppose. So all these backyard chicken keepers may want to take notice.

I learned about cracking eggs on a flat surface during a kitchen demo fancy-schmancy chef guy thing on the HAL cruise last year to Alaska. He said by cracking it on a flat surface you have more control over the egg, and you're less likely to break the yolk with the edge of the bowl or pan. I've been practicing, and let me tell ya - nowadays Sunday morning bacon and eggs are awesome at my house. And don't get me started on my pancakes and waffles. Yum!

Dave

 

[PigsDad]

Even though the eggs you get from the store have been thoroughly sanitized before packaging.

In the US, they are. However, in most other countries, eggs are not washed and therefore do not need to be refrigerated (washing strips the protective coating that protects them from salmonella). Those other countries require all chickens to be vaccinated which provides the protection to the egg. In the long run, that is so much more efficient -- no need to wash and no need for refrigeration (including transportation). Just another way the US is really backwards in their thinking.

Check out this article if you are interested in the complete story:

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/11/americans-refrigerate-eggs-countries-dont/

Kurt

 

[dioxide45]

Well... it’s not like you’re going to sterilize raw fruits and vegetables by a brief rinse in cold water. Long rinsing time (like 2-3 minutes), followed by rubbing the bacteria off the surface by drying each piece with a clean, fresh paper towel would certainly help. But the greater the surface area- like wrinkly lettuce for example, the less effective your rinse would be. Soft porous produce (like raspberries) can’t effectively be washed. So really you can’t avoid germs on fresh produce. If you’re really worried, just cook everything. That’s your best bet for avoiding germs.

Tuberculosis btw is not transmitted via contaminated food. You get it by being in close contact with someone else who is infected.

I would tend to agree. TOssing grapes or any other fruit into a colander and rinsing really doesn't do much to remove either bacteria or pesticides. It may get some loose dirt off, but that is about it. I do rinse our fruits and vegetables, mainly for the dirt. Though broccoli seems to be water repellant, so I don't think it matters if I rinse that or not, it is getting steamed anyway.

 

[dioxide45]

Really, we all got to this point in life, building up immunities by eating, touching and being in contact with a lot of nasty stuff. That contact gets us through the rest of our lives mostly in tact. Without it, we probably wouldn't last all that long. We can't live in a bubble.

 

[b2bailey]

It has never occurred to me to try fruit - because it is unwashed. I just wouldn't/could't lol. I roll the dice regarding taste - most of the time it's fine.

My daughter recently visited friends who moved to another state. She stayed with them for a long weekend. That's when she discovered that they don't wash any of their produce. Ever. She was horrified. We're no germaphobes, but we do wash produce. Every time.

I still wonder if the bagged lettuce salads are okay to eat without washing first...

 

[jehb2]

I still wonder if the bagged lettuce salads are okay to eat without washing first...

There have been a number of E. Coli lettuce contaminations. And it was the bagged lettuce or vegatables not the head of lettuce. I don't trust the bagged veggies that say "already washed." I also don't trust the grapes still on the vine at conventions and banquets. Yes, I'm the person that sampled unwashed grapes in my youth. I also use to ride my bike without a helmet.

 

[klpca]

I'm honestly not a germaphobe (we adhere to the 5 second rule, and I will pick bugs out of my food when we go camping) but I see the produce getting picked in the fields. There are porta potties but who knows about hand washing. I'm not cool with potty germs on my food.

 

[Sea Six]

Be on the lookout for black widow spiders in your bag of grapes. A friend pointed this out to me. It is apparently more common than you would like!

 

[Talent312]

Be on the lookout for black widow spiders in your bag of grapes.

Working in the yard yesterday, I managed to get wrapped up in a spider web.
Luckily the spider ran away, but the more I peeled off me, the more I found.
It freaked out about it. Yuck.
.

 

[RALnGA]

I use to taste the grapes before I purchased them when I was younger. Now the thought totally grosses me out. I may as well sample some pesticide. That said I spent $10.00 on grapes at Costco last week and had to toss the whole carton in the trash the next day. They tasted bad. I know I could have taken them back. Sometimes I do but I didn’t feel like it. So two days later I decided to spend the money and buy some grapes at Randells. They weren’t bad. But they weren’t good either. If I had sampled them I certainly wouldn’t have purchased them. I sample the bulk food trail mix items when I can’t decide which one I want. But I know my store encourages you to do so.

At Costco you do not need to return fruit nor vegetables if they don't taste "right", just let costumer service know and they will refund your money. Even if you don't have the receipt. They have a record of everything you have bought. Last year a lady wanted a refund on the live Christmas tree she had purchased right after Thanksgiving because the needles fell off before New Years. She received a refund, no questions asked.

RAL

 

[billymach4]

Hmmm. Just checking in here.... Boy you folks have way too much time on your hands... Geez. It's only a couple of grapes.

OK Ta Ta for now. I need to get some sleep and go to work in the morning!

 

[easyrider]

Yup. That is what happens when you retire. Oddly for me, even though I'm retired I'm very busy keeping the empire running so I seem to be working harder than I should for a retired guy.

Bill