What are the effects of soaking vegetables in salt water?

Concerned with the safety of purchased fruits and vegetables, many families always soak them in saltwater before consumption, after thoroughly washing them. Why is it necessary to soak fruits and vegetables in saltwater? Does this method help make food safer, destroy all harmful bacteria, or remove hazardous chemicals? These are questions that many people wonder about.

Why soak fruits and vegetables in saltwater?

According to VnExpress, Professor Vu Thi Tan (lecturer at Hanoi University of Technology) states that soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater helps eliminate bacteria clinging to their surfaces. Salt molecules will move to areas with lower salt concentration, into the food, while water molecules move in the opposite direction, from fruits and vegetables towards areas with higher salt concentration.

Salt draws water from inside the food outwards and replaces it with salt molecules. This environment is not suitable for bacteria to survive. Furthermore, salt also dehydrates bacterial cells, causing them to die or be unable to grow.

What is the effect of soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater? -1
Why soak fruits and vegetables in saltwater? Does salt help eliminate parasites? (Photo: Timesofindia)

In summary, saltwater has a good antibacterial effect, making fruits and vegetables cleaner and safer. Professor Vu Thi Tan has maintained the habit of using salt to wash food before putting it in the refrigerator for many years. There was a time when a bowl of strawberries soaked in saltwater was forgotten for more than 10 days in the corner of the refrigerator, but they were still fresh.

Does soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater eliminate chemicals and parasites?

Although saltwater has a bactericidal effect, it is not a universal solution that can eliminate all health risks from contaminated food.

Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Thinh, a food technology expert, affirms that soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater does not kill parasites or remove residual chemicals: “No scientific study has proven that saltwater can kill parasite eggs or remove chemicals from fruits and vegetables as many people think.”

To be reassured, many housewives soak fruits and vegetables in saltwater for a long time, from 15 to 20 minutes, but Thinh believes this should not be done. Soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater for too long can cause loss of nutritional value and make them lose their taste.

What is the effect of soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater? -2
Do not soak fruits and vegetables in saltwater for too long. (Photo: Food.com)

Dr. Tran Huy Tho, from Dang Van Ngu Hospital (under the Central Institute for Antimalarial Parasitic – Insect Research), also confirms that soaking fruits and vegetables in saltwater does not kill worms in raw vegetables.

According to him, it is not advisable to consume raw aquatic plants. For dry land vegetables such as lettuce, coriander, and other types of greens, it is best to rinse them under flowing tap water to wash away any worm eggs (if present). The next step after rinsing is soaking the vegetables in saltwater. The worm eggs will float to the surface; before taking out the vegetables, you should press them down under the water and then discard the water, so the worm eggs will flow away with the water.

“Most people, after soaking vegetables in saltwater, will directly take them out while the water is not drained. In that case, if there are worm eggs floating, they will stick to the vegetables, and consuming them can cause illness,” said Dr. Tho. He also said that soaking vegetables in saltwater or rinsing them under tap water only has a partial effect in preventing worm infestation, so it’s best to cook them thoroughly and boil water before consumption.

According to VTC News

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