Scientists have found the best way to clean dirt and bacteria from vegetables

The best way to rid vegetables of dirt and germs is water, which is affected by ultrasound. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the British University of Southampton.

The results of the study, which were published in Science Direct, say that ordinary tap water does not get rid of all the bacteria on the leaves and peels of vegetables. Washing them with soap isn't recommended either, as it's not easy to wash the chemicals out of all the cracks in the leaves where bacteria like to hide. And that means soap will get into our bodies one way or another.

So British scientists came up with the idea of using a continuous stream of water that carried microscopic bubbles and acoustic waves downstream from an upstream source to the infected leafy vegetables.

"The sound field creates an echo on the surface of the leaves and inside crevices that attract bubbles into them," explained Professor Timothy Leighton. - The sound field also causes the walls of the bubbles to oscillate very quickly, turning them into microscopic 'cleaning' machines. This literally allows even the smallest particles of dirt and pathogens to be washed out of the leaves."

It was found that six days after the 2-minute ultrasonic water treatment, microbial loads on infected spinach leaves were "significantly lower" than leaves rinsed with regular water at the same rate and for the same amount of time. And, importantly, the microbubbles did not damage the leaves themselves at all.

Scientists hope that such technology will be used by farmers and suppliers of grocery stores, so that their greens were as clean as possible.