Hidden dangers consumers don’t know about slicing vegetables at point of purchase
It has become a common practice for people to request vegetable sellers help them slice their vegetables at the point of purchase.
This unhealthy practice has been attributed to a lack of skill, convenience, and hastening meal preparation despite being linked to vital nutrient losses.
Nutrition experts have however kicked against the practice, warning that the habit was not only unhealthy but could cause food poisoning.
A Registered Dietician-Nutritionist, Cynthia Onyekwere, told PUNCH Healthwise in an exclusive interview that there were proven serious hygiene issues with slicing vegetables before washing.
Onyekwere noted that all vegetables should be treated with the utmost care, from the point of harvest to the consumer’s plate.
The dietician said, “Despite these perceived benefits, slicing vegetables at the point of purchase is not without its consequences.
“Nutrition-wise, most of the water-soluble nutrients, such as folate and vitamin C, are lost during the washing process.
“Also, dark green leafy vegetables, such as pumpkin (locally known as ugu) are known to be rich in non-heme iron. However, when these green leafy vegetables are sliced before washing, some of the iron is lost as well.
The nutrition expert said consumers lose vital nutrients such as ascorbic acid, B vitamins, and folate by cutting their vegetables at the point of purchase.
“The same can be said of the anti-oxidants embedded in these green vegetables. These include lutein and chlorophyll, which account for the green colour of these vegetables.
“Their loss is evident by the greenish discoloration of the water used in washing the sliced vegetables.”
Onyekwere noted that when it comes to food safety, slicing vegetables before washing had its demerits.
“The larvae of some insects can remain attached to the leaves if they are washed after slicing. Normally, by first picking these vegetables before washing and slicing, such insects and their larvae would have been removed.
“But because the process is reversed, some of these larvae continue to be attached to the vegetables.
“Consumption of such poses a significant health risk to people because the mild heat and short time used in cooking those vegetables may not be effective in destroying those insects and their larvae”, she said.
Onyekwere reiterated that slicing vegetables before washing has nutritional and health implications and should therefore be discouraged.
“Meal preparation can be properly planned to allow ample time to pick, wash and slice vegetables, thereby preserving their nutritional quality and ensuring their safety”, she counselled.
Also, a Registered Dietician-Nutritionist at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nwabumma Asouzu, said raw vegetables could be contaminated with physical agents, like the seller whose hands might not be clean or who might have obtained the vegetables from a poorly hygienic environment.
“Other sources of contaminants like faecal material, parasitic contaminants, maggots, insects, and even sands and small pieces of stones, can be sliced together in the process.
“Another risk of this wrong practice is possible food poisoning from salmonella, E.coli, cryptosporidium, listeria, etc. All vegetables should be treated with the utmost care from the point of harvest to the consumer’s plate.
“Vegetables generally should be handled carefully as they contain antioxidants that can be lost when cut or mishandled. So never buy damaged or bruised fresh vegetables”, the dietician said.
Listing ways to prepare vegetables and make them safe for consumption, the nutritionist said, “Add a little quantity of salt, wash, and then rinse all vegetables under running tap water or clean water. While rinsing under running tap water, rub or scrub firm-skinned vegetables with a clean vegetable brush.
“Never use detergent or bleach to wash fresh fruits and vegetables, since these products are not consumable. When shopping, separate fresh vegetables from household chemicals and raw foods, such as meat, poultry, and seafood.
“During preparation, remove and discard bruised or damaged portions of vegetables before cooking.”
