[Mawood]

<p>Recently a friend of mine told me that she doesn't bother washing waxed apples anymore as she doesn't believe it does anything good. She said washing a candle doesn't really work either... we usually buy organic but even those apples are waxed. I keep washing them and if it is just to get hand prints off from people who touched them but every time I wash them now and see the water perling off I am thinking of my friends theory...</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What do you think?</p>

 

[deditus]

<p>I either buy unwaxed, local organic apples, or I soak them in a sink full of water with vinegar in it. You can see that the vinegar starts to dissolve the wax off.</p>

 

[ASusan]

<p>Can I just say that food is a PITA these days?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I, too, go for the local apples when I can.</p>
<p>When they're from the store, they're slippery and ugh...but I eat them. Washed lightly is all I bother with, and they get peeled (usually) for DS>.</p>

 

[tanyalynn]

<p>I figure washing waxed apples is more for the germs from peoples' hands, and while I'm not terribly germaphobic, I don't need to go out of my way if we could be talking gastro bugs, which are just not fun to deal with with little kids. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I'll be trying the prolonged vinegar soak. </p>

 

[Dootsmama]

<p>I buy organic only as they don't use wax - and even then I peel them. I'm allergic to corn and the wax on apples is actually corn starch.</p>

 

[brendajw]

<p>I like a combo wash that is vinegar and hydrogen peroxide (you can use food grade and dilute it with good water to 3%). Keep a little spray bottle of each by the sink and then spritz a colander of veggies/fruit with each liquid. Let it sit for a few minutes and then rinse. Apparently <span style="font-family:Arial;">Susan Sumner, a food scientist at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, worked out the recipe for this excellent disinfecting fruit and veggie cleaner (does counter tops too . . . just keep it off metal). Deals with any potential</span> <span style="font-family:Arial;">Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli bacteria on the food.</span></p>