This Wash Makes Fruit Safer—and Last Longer

A Canadian research team says it has cooked up a cheap new way to get pesticides off your fruit while helping it stay fresh longer. Scientists at the University of British Columbia report they've created a natural, biodegradable wash that stripped between 86% and 96% of pesticide residue from apples in lab tests, far outperforming tap water or baking soda, which removed less than 50%. The same solution, when used as a light edible coating after the initial wash, also slowed browning and moisture loss in apples and kept grapes looking firm for 15 days at room temperature, per Interesting Engineering. The work, published in ACS Nano, offers a way to cut back on accidental pesticide ingestion and food waste amid an affordability crisis.

The wash relies on starch-based nanoparticles capped with iron and tannic acid, which form sticky clusters that latch onto pesticides and pull them from the fruit's surface. Researchers say the added iron falls well within safe intake limits and may even boost nutritional value. Early cost estimates suggest the treatment would tack on about three cents per apple in industrial use, similar to current commercial coatings but with added pesticide removal. The team is now refining the formula for produce-processing plants and exploring a possible consumer version, like a spray or dissolvable tablet, pending further testing and regulatory review. "Our hope is to help people feel confident about the produce they bring home—knowing it's safer, lasts longer and creates less waste," says senior author Dr. Tianxi Yang.