# Vegetable washing question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 31, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815 "2003-05-31T19:36:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/1 "2003-05-31T19:36:04Z")
I am preparing a pasta salad. I spaced out and forgot to wash (and have already chopped) the 5 supermarket-bought plum tomatoes that the recipe called for. The tomatoes will not be cooked, just tossed into the pasta when it’s done. Will the final pesticide-laden product give me cancer of the intestine or something equally as dreadful 10 years from now? Will my future children be born with two noses? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/2 "2003-05-31T20:05:58Z")
does this thread go here? ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/3 "2003-05-31T21:31:51Z")
toss them in the bin and start again … that’s what I do … ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/4 "2003-05-31T21:37:45Z")
Too late. ☹ Mmmmmmm pesticide-laden pasta salad! Yummy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/5 "2003-05-31T22:37:45Z")
I wouldn’t be so much worried about the pesticides as I would about what they went through just sitting in the grocery store. I’ve seen people drop stuff on the floor and put it back in the pile, or sneeze in their hand and start picking over stuff. How about the field workers that pick the stuff? I’m going to guess they don’t exactly have keys to the executive washrooms, if you get my drift. That having been said I don’t usually wash anything before I eat it. When your number’s up, your number’s up. I probably drink enough vodka to sterilize my innards anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/6 "2003-05-31T23:37:28Z")
You have very little to worry about unless your (or your guest’s) immune system is severely compromised. ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/7 "2003-06-01T00:01:31Z")
I thought that being on the CS board it would perhaps be about veggi-tales. :o ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/8 "2003-06-01T00:08:08Z")
Thanks, folks. Here’s the recipe, in case anyone’s interested: 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta 2 green onions, chopped 1 (6 ounce) package feta cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cups chopped fresh tomato Fresh basil garnish I’m hoping the balsamic vinaigrette sterilizes it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/9 "2003-06-01T00:28:22Z")
Actually, an acidic/reactive ingredient like balsamic vinegar will assist in neutralizing some of the nasties. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/10 "2003-06-01T01:18:21Z")
Good christ, that’s a lot of vinegar. I just did a similar pasta. Fresh chopped plum tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper. Mix and let sit out for an hour to get all gooshy. Tossed it into a half-pound (it was a side dish) of cooked fusilli and grated asiago over the top. It was yummy. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/11 "2003-06-01T03:38:10Z")
I assume you first cook the tomatoes and basil in olive oil w/ all the seasonings? ---
**Author:** ![LolaCocaCola](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@LolaCocaCola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LolaCocaCola)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/12 "2003-06-01T06:22:43Z")
The original recipe called for 1/2 a cup of vinegar, **Ukulele Ike**!!! :o 1/4 of a cup whisked with the olive oil was juuuuust right! And **litost** , I can’t speak for Ike’s recipe, but mine was not cooked at all. (Except for the pasta) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vegetable-washing-question/178815/13 "2003-06-01T08:10:03Z")
**LolaCocaCola** , the salad sounds very yummy. And as for the pasta being cooked, it never hurts for people to check. After all, my landlord’s 6-year old daughter served me a plate of raw macaroni the other day (I politely declined) 🙂