The dirtiest vegetables in summer.

Contaminated vegetables are those that contain high levels of chemicals and pesticides and are easily infected with parasites due to polluted environments.

According to Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute of Agricultural Mechanization and Post-Harvest Technology, summer is the time when microorganisms thrive, causing vegetables to spoil quickly. Therefore, farmers often use more preservatives than in other seasons of the year.

Associate Professor Tran Dang (former Director of the Food Safety and Hygiene Department, Ministry of Health) also believes that Vietnamese people are greatly affected by the lack of food safety and hygiene. Regarding the vegetables currently distributed in the market, he stated that most contain chemicals and pesticides.

Even seasonal vegetables are sprayed with pesticides to kill pests and stimulate growth. Specifically, consumers need to be cautious when buying leafy vegetables such as water spinach, cabbage, amaranth, and chayote shoots.

In particular, water spinach grown in ponds, lakes, and rivers, where the water is polluted, may contain many types of worms, parasites, and other pathogens. Because this vegetable is easy to grow, suitable for all seasons, and popular with many people, many farmers, for profit, use growth stimulants and pesticides, and harvest prematurely before selling it on the market. This poses a danger to the health of consumers.

In addition, leafy vegetables often contain many insects and aphids, and the longer they are stored, the more pesticides are sprayed on them. Even spinach, to achieve the lush, green leaves seen in the market, requires growth stimulants.

According to this expert, vegetables that need to be peeled before eating, such as squash, gourds, zucchini, and potatoes, are generally safer. Soaking, washing, and peeling can eliminate 70-80% of pesticide residue.

He also stated that during the dry season, the amount of chemical residue remaining on vegetables is usually higher than during the rainy season because there isn't enough water to wash away the pesticides.

Therefore, Associate Professor Tran Dang recommends that all fresh fruits and vegetables should be washed under running water to remove dirt and harmful bacteria. In addition, you should limit your consumption of raw vegetables, especially water spinach.

According to Zing.vn