Gazpacho Tip: How to wash tomatoes

Does the temperature of the water we use to wash our tomatoes matter? I used to not think so.  However,  as I have learned in the last few months, water temperature matters. The wash water should be several degrees warmer than the pulp temperature of the tomatoes to avoid drawing water and disease organisms in the tomato. Therefore, if your tomato is at room temperature (which is the case in most instances) the water you use to wash them should be lukewarm. Rubbing the tomato under running water will be better than just letting the water run over them. And another thing, do not soak the tomatoes.  Under more than one foot of water they will float right up to the surface. If the water is colder than the tomato it will be absorbed into the fruit and so will any microorganisms that could have been on its surface from the store, from the farm etc...

To read more about safely handling produce and vegetables visit this USDA brochure at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fns/safety/pdf/best_practices.pdf  made for school cafeteria personnel. Look at page 4 for a chart on handling different fruits and veggies.