They are washed before cut and chopped and washed again before being used in food preparations. But how far does this washing cleanse vegetables? Pesticides and chemicals used in farms are developed to be waterproof to ensure they are not washed away because of rain or irrigation, says Praveen Nath, a scientist of a Kochi based company that is aggressively marketing its vegetable and fruit cleanser that his company claims rids fruits and vegetables of residues of harmful pesticides and chemicals.

Agricultural and other experts are however sceptical. "There are so many products in the market nowadays that claim to be bio or organic and I would be immediately alert to such a claim," says Dr T P Rajendran, Additional Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Nath adds, "Even though there exist in the west such kind of washes, we have not seen such products being extensively marketed in the country.

Nath says his company's products contain purely organic surfactants and it is something new finding in biotechnology. Rajendran, however, says, "Surfactants also contain chemicals and it can penetrate the outer covering of the vegetables and fruits."

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