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Insects - Page
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3 Methods
There are 3 different ways to prepare foods
for eating. These are either: cleaning,
checking or testing.
CLEANING
– see “practical Applications”
1. Where the infestation is easy to wash
off, we simply clean the food. Examples of
this are peppers (green, red or any other
color). Celery sticks need to be brushed
down.
2. Sometimes detergent is the only way to
wash off the infestation. An example of this
is cabbage. This is because the insect that
often infests cabbage is called thrip. This
tiny insect grips onto the leaf and can't be
washed off. But after soaking the leaves for
2 - 3 minutes in very soapy water, the
leaves become slippery and the thrips loose
their grip.
3. This system isn't effective for all
insects. Aphids (greenfly) grip the leaf
with their mouth. However if the leaf is
sponged on both sides with a very soapy
sponge they will be wiped off. This method
can be used for lettuce.
CHECKING (without cleaning) – see
“practical Applications”
1. Where it's possible to visually detect
all infestation, we very carefully check the
food visually with the aid of strong
lighting. This includes lettuce, spinach,
and butter beans.
2. It's worthwhile to first soak lettuce
leaves in a mild salt-water solution (1
teaspoon per litre). This irritates the
aphids that often then release their grip.
(If the solution is too strong it will kill
them before they are able to let go).
TESTING – see “practical Applications”
Sometimes we don't examine the food at all.
We examine what's around them, e.g. the
water they are washed or cooked in. If this
reveals infestation we don't use the food at
all. This is the case where the shape of the
food makes it impossible to visually detect
infestation. Examples of this are parsley
and fresh herbs.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
ARTICHOKE – Cleaning
This is a heavily infested vegetable, except
for the very heart itself after removing all
the leaves.
1. Remove all the leaves until you are left
with the completely smooth heart.
2. Rinse the heart well and it’s ready for
use.
3. You may use the leaves if you first rub
each leaf on both sides with a soft very
soapy sponge and then rinse well under
running water.
Artichoke Recipes
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