• irotsoma@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You can do the same in some stores. They put out some ripe and some unripe. Just grab a couple of each. And don’t fall for the guilt of breaking up bunches. You are allowed to do that. You don’t have to buy the whole bunch. Unless you go to a store that unnecessarily puts then in plastic containers/wraps.

    And you can still rinse the banana off to get rid of any germs from inside the store if that’s the fear. It won’t damage it. But do it when you are ready to eat it otherwise if you use mild soap it can reduce the life of the banana by making the skin less protective.

      • irotsoma@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Only because I like to avoid getting herbicides and pesticides on my hands which then might touch the banana flesh when pulling out the last part. I don’t use soap, but some do. I rinse all of my fruits and veggies when possible even if I remove the peel.

        • Rufio@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          That’s next level fear. I’d imagine it would be extremely trace amounts if any that you’d end up digesting.

          • irotsoma@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Yeah, but over time the damage builds up. Some of the currently popular pesticides are linked to both chromosome damage and neurological degeneration which are both cumulative.

            Sure the chances of that alone causing cancer or something like Parkinson’s disease are very low. But there are lots of things around us that have similar effects. Off gassing plastics on new furniture and clothing, heavy metals in water and food, certain diseases like COVID, radiation for airplane rides and x-rays, etc. Each on of those are minuscule alone, even over a lifetime, but together they can cause issues. So things that are easily avoidable, may as well avoid. Pesticides and herbicides are mostly water soluable, so a little water can reduce the exposure significantly. And a lot of products that have peels that most people don’t eat and aren’t in the ground, so they don’t get dirty, don’t get rinsed by the growers. Some grocery stores do rinse them to make them more presentable, but not all.

            Still you’re right that the only way to get toxic exposure that alone could cause cancer, Parkinson’s, etc., is if you work in the fields and aren’t given a mask. Especially if they are spraying while people are out picking. And with grocers often rinsing them, it’s not necessary.

            It does also reduce your likelihood of catching COVID or other diseases from people who don’t know how to wash their hands, which we found from COVID is disturbingly common for an educated country. But again, that risk is very low.

            I just feel the effort is minimal, and the possible reward is high enough that it’s worth it for me. It’s of course also a privilege of living in a place where clean water is plentiful.

          • InfiniWheel@lemmy.one
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            1 year ago

            I’m pretty sure its a general health recommendation to wash all your fruits, including the ones you have to peel.