Coronavirus: How to clean fresh vegetables

New Delhi, July 01: During the time of a pandemic, an important question is are you cleaning fruits and vegetables right?

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has come up guidelines on how to clean fruits and vegetables.

COVID-19: How to clean fruits and vegetables:

• Keep fruits and vegetables brought from the vendors within the packet itself in an isolated place.
• Wash them thoroughly with lukewarm water or put a drop a 50 ppm chlorine in warm water and dip them.
• Clean vegetables with potable, clean drinking water.
• Do not use disinfectants, cleaning wipes or soap on fresh produce.
• Store fruits and vegetables, which require to be refrigerated in the fridge. Keep the rest at room temperature in baskets or racks.

Follow these simple tips to keep your fruits and vegetables clean.#EatRightIndia #HealthForAll #SwasthaBharat pic.twitter.com/8f3vyuQhP4

— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) June 29, 2020

What to do when you reach home:

• Leave your shoes outside before entering the house.
• Keep shopping bags in an isolated or segregated place.
• Wash hands with soap and clean potable water. If possible keep sanitiser at the entrance.
• Change clothes on reaching home. Put used clothes for washing in separate bin.
• Afterwards, remove the food from shopping bags and keep it away.
• Do not store, leave food outside of the house, in cars or garages as it could lead to food safety issues like temperature abuse and pest exposure.
• Sanitise, disinfect, food packages by wiping them with an alcohol based solution or soap and clean water.

Here are some tips to keep in mind once you reach home after shopping.#SwasthaBharat #HealthForAll pic.twitter.com/qC6CIofhKg

— FSSAI (@fssaiindia) June 27, 2020

Clean the sink and platform where the food items are washed. Do not let the drop fall on the floor, else wipe it immediately.