How to eat raw vegetables hygienically?

I often soak raw vegetables in salt water before eating them. Does doing so eliminate germs?

"My family often eats raw vegetables, and I usually soak them in diluted salt water before each meal. But recently, I've heard a lot on the radio and in the newspapers about liver fluke disease. So, I wonder if soaking them in salt water like that will eliminate the pathogen?"



Raw vegetablesRaw vegetables are rich in vitamins C, A, and E, minerals, and several trace elements. The vitamins in raw vegetables are preserved intact and not lost compared to when cooked. However, if raw vegetables are not hygienically prepared (fertilized with fresh manure, human waste, or uncomposted animal manure, or treated with pesticides improperly), then they are unsuitable for carrying around.pathogens, including liver fluke disease, as you already know.

According to the Ministry of Health's recommendations, the disease is currently...liver flukeLarge liver fluke infections have appeared in 45 provinces and cities nationwide, affecting over 2,000 people. The cause is the habit of people eating raw fish, shrimp, crab, and raw vegetables containing liver fluke larvae. Large liver flukes parasitize the liver, damaging it, absorbing nutrients, and over time leading to abscesses, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer.

Besides liver fluke infection, eating unclean raw vegetables can also cause infections with other parasites or acute and chronic pesticide poisoning.

To ensure the safety of raw vegetables, you need to pick through and wash them thoroughly with clean water. Washing each leaf directly under running water is the most effective way to remove parasite eggs, disease-causing bacteria, and pesticide residues. Soaking raw vegetables in a dilute potassium permanganate solution or diluted salt water will not kill parasite eggs.

If your area has a high incidence of liver fluke disease, you should avoid eating raw or undercooked hydroponically grown vegetables. If you experience symptoms such as digestive disorders, itching, rash, jaundice, fever, or pain in the right lower abdomen, you should see a doctor (ultrasound, blood tests, stool tests).

According to Health & Life - NT