Disinfecting Fruits and Vegetables with Silver Solution Richard Kunz, chemist 719 635-1325 January, 2012 RKchemist.com In Mexico, produce may be contaminated with animal wastes, unclean irrigation water and unsanitary handling. Rinsing fruits and vegetables in water does not make it safe because water, no matter how pure, does not kill bacteria. Organisms on the surface of fruits and vegetables are transferred to the inner fruit during cutting and peeling, so produce to be enjoyed raw, must be sanitized first. Produce to be cooked should be sanitized, because it may contact sanitized produce or contaminate refrigerators and countertops. Obviously, a sanitizing solution is a kitchen essential in Mexico.

Microdyn and Bacdyn silver sanitizing concentrates, costing about $1/ounce, have been available in grocery stores throughout Mexico for decades. Both concentrates are diluted to 6 drops/quart of tap water before use. A 3-oz. (90 ml) bottle makes about 250 quarts of silver sanitizer. Neither should be rinsed off (a savings where safe rinse water is bottled drinking water).

Here in the United States we are considerably behind Mexico in this respect. (A product called Fit is sold for cleaning produce. Fit is not a sanitizer; it does not kill micro-organisms.)

Cantaloupe, Fall 2011 Spinich, Summer 2006 Alfalfa Sprouts, Summer 2011 Lysteria on rind E. Coli on leaves Salmonella in sprouting beds Pictured above are reminders of recent foodborne disease outbreaks in our country, caused by foods grown and processed in the United States. It has become unwise to assume that produce we have always enjoyed alfresco, may be rinsed and eaten without risk. For this reason, I am supplying you with a one-pint silver ion generator. Disinfect all produce as soon as you come home from shopping by: rinsing them in cold water, spraying them with the generated silver ion solution. There is no need to rinse. Make it a policy to not put any unsanitized produce in the refridgerator. In this way, everything is ready to grab and eat, or cook, without stopping to clean and spray. See silversanitizer.com for more information.

Microdyn 3.2% silver nitrate, 0.6% copper nitrate

Bacdyn 3.2% silver nitrate

The heart of the silver ion generator is a dollar bill-sized rectangle of silver-plated nylon cloth. This swatch of high-tech material will generate hundreds of pints of sterilizing silver-ion solution. When the liquid level in the container becomes low, add distilled water, shake and continue using. The silver cloth generates silver solution for years (as long as the cloth appears to be is plated with silver).