Today, vegetables and fruits supplied from abroad are gradually replacing domestic products from the market stalls. They are more presentable in appearance, but biologists say they are not as safe as their suppliers say. What is their danger?
Processing of imported products
Usually, foreign importers process all vegetables and fruits, protecting them from various pests and spoilage. First of all, they are sprayed with a product that contains paraffin, which blocks the access of oxygen to the core of the fruit, thus "preserving" it. Then they are treated with antibiotics, which destroy all harmful microorganisms that multiply and spoil the crop. In addition, additives from mold and mildew are used.
Without spraying with paraffin, grapes, peaches, plums and other perishable foods will deteriorate in a week.
Imported vegetables and fruits are processed immediately after harvest. Some of them are sprayed several times - first at home, and then after transportation. For example, to accelerate ripening, bananas are fumigated with a mixture of nitrogen and ethylene, which literally turns green unripe fruits into fully ripe fruits in just a few hours. Some of the berries are exported by foreign producers in sealed containers filled with gas that prevents them from withering. During transportation, the berries are impregnated with this substance and turn from a useful natural delicacy into a chemical "bomb". Many of the fruits and vegetables supplied from abroad are genetically modified, which allows them to be protected from pests, but casts doubt on the consequences of using such products.
How to consume imported products
It is impossible to completely get rid of the chemicals with which imported vegetables and fruits are processed. Therefore, each of the purchased fruits must be thoroughly cleaned, since most of the chemistry is concentrated in their peel. Fruits that cannot be cleaned should be washed in hot water with baking soda or soap, rubbing the skin with a brush. If you do not follow these rules, poisoning is possible.
In winter, summer berries are best purchased frozen, since shock freezing allows you to preserve their useful substances.
After cleaning, imported potatoes and cabbage should also be soaked in warm water, placing them in a container for thirty minutes. Thus, they are cleared of insecticides and pesticides that protect vegetables and fruits from caterpillars and other pests. In addition, citrus fruits need thorough rinsing, the peels of which are brightened by manufacturers with the help of various food colors.
