Seattle Times interviews Bolton about food safety

The Seattle Times interviewed Jason Bolton, University of Maine Cooperative Extension food safety specialist and associate Extension professor, for an article about food safety during the coronavirus pandemic. The article also cited a UMaine study that concluded that distilled water was more effective than three commercial ozone and chlorine washes for cleaning fruits and vegetables. Bolton, who worked on the study, prefers a water rinse for produce over any washes, including homemade “natural” ones made of lemon juice and/or vinegar. But he recommends avoiding a drastic temperature difference between the produce and the water, which could allow the produce to absorb any bacteria on the surface. “If you had contamination on the surface, it could be sucked in,” said Bolton. And he noted that rewashing produce labeled “prewashed” usually isn’t necessary.