Question from Polly
Debra,
I received an email about those baby carrots that are so convenient. The ones I buy are labeled Organic. The email said that during processing baby carrots were rinsed w/chlorine, and then w/potable water. I wanted to know what the implications of that would be from a health standpoint. They’re a standby for most mothers who want their children to eat vegetables.
Debra’s Answer
Where are all these emails coming from about food rinsed in chlorine?
I would say it’s a good certainty that this is true for non-organic carrots.
It’s probably not true for organic carrots, though these may be rinsed in chlorinated water.
Just make a general assumption that any produce you purchase prewashed in plastic bags probably has some chlorine residue on it. Your best option is to buy organic produce and wash it yourself in purified chlorine-free water.
I can’t tell you what the health effects might be of eating produce washed in chlorine. It would probably be about the same as drinking chlorinated tap water.
