You know those blackberries you just picked? There are worms in them. Tiny white worms, almost transparent, that will ultimately blossom into fruit flies.
I don’t think lettuce has a barrier to lose. I don’t rinse cucumbers, squash, or melons and their skin is waxy like an apple.
Cutting out the stem/separating all the leaves and rinsing and soaking for 5 or 10 minutes extends the lettuce life in the fridge by a week or more than just leaving it in the bag it came in.
Same with strawberries, rinsing them when you get home (not soaking like lettuce) extends their fridge life.
Some things benefit from a quick wash and others suffer depending on whether they have a protective covering that gets washed away.
Blackberries and apples go bad faster after washing because it removes the protective barrier.
Lettuce, celery, and strawberries last a lot longer if you wash them immediately because they don’t lose a barrier that causes them to go bad faster.
I know you said fruits, but fruits like strawberries don’t fit the pattern.
I’m confused on the lettuce etc… They DON’T lose a barrier when you wash them? This implies that the water is acting as the barrier?
I don’t think lettuce has a barrier to lose. I don’t rinse cucumbers, squash, or melons and their skin is waxy like an apple.
Cutting out the stem/separating all the leaves and rinsing and soaking for 5 or 10 minutes extends the lettuce life in the fridge by a week or more than just leaving it in the bag it came in.
Same with strawberries, rinsing them when you get home (not soaking like lettuce) extends their fridge life.