Wash your fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming, warns KISR

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has warned the public against consuming agricultural products irrigated with untreated wastewater. He urged consumers to take caution when eating fruits and vegetables, and advised washing them thoroughly with water while putting the leafy vegetables in vinegar for few minutes.

According to Dr Mohammad Al- Bahouh, the high rate of serious illnesses at present is due to the presence of contaminants in crops.

According to him, leafy crops that absorb bacteria and heavy minerals without it affecting the smell or shape on the outside posses most prominent danger. We need to have strict control to prevent the infiltration of such produce until thorough tests confirming they are free of contaminants are complete.

According to him, KISR has conducted several researches in this field and examined different samples of imported vegetables and fruits, and found in some produce large quantities of internationally banned pesticides, while some fruits contained higher percentages of pesticides than authorized by World Health Organization.

He also recommended examining fruits from the inside before consumption to see if there is any change in their shape or taste.