WASHING VEGETABLES
Over the years, our grandmothers established the belief that vegetables plucked straight from the ground, unwashed and properly stored stay fresher for longer. In fact we now know that this belief is strongly supported by research. We pack Primavega vegetables without pre-washing. So if you find some earth in our vegetables, take it as proof of freshness.
So how does one wash and store vegetables such as lettuce, lamb’s lettuce, arugula, spinach or broccoli so as not to lose its freshness and nutritional value?
Hygiene is the basis! Let’s start with the correct preparation for washing. The sieve, sink or board that we will use should be thoroughly washed beforehand in warm water with detergent and rinsed with equal care. In this way, we will avoid the transfer of bacteria to the washed product.
After removing the right amount of Primavega vegetables from the packaging, rinse them thoroughly under running water to get rid of any soil residue. When opening packages of Primavega vegetables, pay attention to the convenient lid that allows you to open and close the package many times.
Lettuce is best separated into leaves and washed thoroughly in a sink or dish filled with fresh, cold water for at least 1-2 minutes. In the case of vegetables with smaller leaves, such as arugula or lamb’s lettuce, it is good to pour a portion of the leaves into a large sieve and rinse several times. Lay the washed leaves on a paper towel and leave them to dry for a while. You can also wrap the paper sheet with lettuce in a loose roll – this will allow the paper to absorb moisture faster. It is important, however, to leave some moisture on the leaves, which prevents them from drying out too much.
If, after drying, the washed portion turns out to be too large, you can hide the leaves of our vegetables back into the resealable packaging or place them in a reusable container. Remember that placing a damp paper towel inside and maintaining the air supply will also extend the freshness of the vegetables. Leaves protected in this way can keep their freshness for up to 7 days. Remember not to pack any vegetables by force, because if they are too compressed, they will lose their firmness and start to spoil faster.
It is worth remembering that broccoli is a bit different. It is a vegetable that is divided into smaller florets before washing. It is worth removing the core first, making it easier to cut off smaller parts and remove any dirt more thoroughly. Broccoli pieces should be soaked in clean, cold water for at least 2 minutes. Then, after drying, you can pack them in reusable packaging or food containers.
Do not forget that all washed vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator, so they will stay fresh longer and retain all their flavour qualities.
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