Sterilizing Veggies

[EB]

I live abroad and have been abstaining from raw vegetables. The local produce isn’t considered sanitary due to growing and handling conditions. While the tap water isn’t putrid, its not drinkable either.

How can one sterilize vegetables. Ive seen signs in some restaurants saying “our vegetables are STERILIZED” so I figure it can be done, but how? The suggestions I received are cooking (but I want a salad, dammit), peeling (wont work for lettuce) and soaking in a bleach solution (how strong? Will I poison myself?)

Anyone know how I can do this?

[mblackwell]

Do you have any plutonium around?

Seriously, washing it with water and a little dish soap should be good enough.

I guess it might be safe to use a mild bleach solution if you let it air dry completely, but thats is a WAG.

American produce probably isn’t any more “sanitary” than that produce anyway. (another WAG)

[robinh]

Blanching is one method that can be used to kill bacteria on raw veggies. Any good commercial kitchen will, for instance, blanch their celery before chopping it up for your tuna sandwich. Celery is tough to clean properly because of the ridges that trap dirt. If, after washing it, you dunk it briefly into boiling water, you will kill off most of the bacteria that are left. Broccoli is often blanched as well, not only to make it safer to eat, but because blanching it brings out its color, making it more visually appealing. You can do this will just about any vegetable you might imagine on a crudite platter-cauliflower, snap peas, peppers.

If the restaurant refers to commonly peeled veggies/fruits as having been sterilized, they may be reassuring you that things like melons are washed, with soap, before cutting. Cantaloupes are a good example. The netted rind is a good breeding ground for bacteria. If you don’t wash it, then your knife will bring those bacteria right down into the flesh when you cut into it.

As far as American produce is concerned, I’m sure it isn’t any more germ free than any other. The issue is more whether it is contaminated with bacteria that your body is already used to.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Eh, EB, you may be on a fool’s errand here. According to the Feds,
http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodguid.html

2. The guide focuses on risk reduction not risk elimination. Current technologies cannot eliminate all potential food safety hazards associated with fresh produce that will be eaten raw.

In other words, according to the FDA, there’s no way you can get a completely sterile green salad.

However, if you’re being transferred to Delhi, there is hope.
http://www.serve.com/aesndi/Delhi/health.htm

Vegetables should be soaked in sterilizing solution, especially if they are to be eaten raw. You, or your cook, can buy Sterileq (a sterilizing solution) in most markets. Speaking of cooks, this is another reason to hire a cook: to boil and filter the water and to sterilize the vegetables.

If you live where everything raw is gonna make you sick, and if you really want to eat green salad, you may be safer growing it yourself in the back yard and being real careful what you water it with.