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Food Standards Agency

Sunday 7 September 2008

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Do I need to wash and peel fruit and vegetables to remove pesticide residues?

You don't need to wash or peel fruit and vegetables because of pesticide residues. However, it is a good idea to wash them to ensure that they are clean, and that bacteria on the outside are removed.

If a vegetable or piece of fruit is especially dirty, washing might not be enough to get it clean, so then you could peel it. For example, carrots sometimes need scraping or peeling to remove soil.

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