“KOSHER VEGETABLE WASH”

A recent article in the Jewish Report advertised a “Kosher Vegetable Wash” as an alternative to dishwashing liquid. This is unfortunately misleading.

One of the methods of cleaning certain fruit & vegetables (e.g. cabbage, strawberries) which then require no further checking is by soaking for a few minutes in very soapy water and then rinsing under running water. (See the Beth Din new Kosher Guide pg. 16).

How does this work? Of the insects that infest some fruit & vegetables are thrips and spider mites. These grip very firmly onto the food and can’t be washed off. But soaking for a few minutes in very soapy water makes the surfaces slippery, and then these insects wash off under running water.

We have experimented using this Kosher Vegetable Wash instead of soapy water, and the insects don’t wash off!

The said Vegetable Wash is, in fact, Kosher. But it may not be used as an alternative for dishwashing liquid for removal of infestation.