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I go through a lot of avocados. I eat them on toast, with eggs, in bowls, to make fresh guacamole, and even straight out of the skin with a spoon–they’re basically a food group in our house. I’ve honestly never given much thought to how I cut them beyond the obvious. So when Registered Dietitian and Food Scientist Jennifer Pallian mentioned, almost in passing, that there’s a step most of us skip before cutting into an avocado, I was genuinely dumbfounded.
It turns out, you’re supposed to wash the skin before you cut it. I had genuinely never considered this, and had certainly never done it. And I cook for my family every single day.
Why Avocado Skin Needs To Be Washed Before Cutting
Here’s what I didn’t know: avocado skin can harbor harmful bacteria, and cutting into it can spread those bacteria into the flesh. “Nearly 18% of avocado skins have been found to harbor listeria monocytogenes. When you slice through the skin without washing it first, your knife can carry whatever is on the outside straight into the “meat” of the fruit that you’re about to eat,” explains Pallian.
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Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium sometimes found on produce and other foods that can cause a serious foodborne infection called listeriosis, and it’s the same pathogen that makes pre-cut cantaloupe a risky buy. What makes it especially problematic is that it’s one of the few pathogens that can grow at refrigerator temperatures, meaning a cold fridge isn’t enough to keep it in check. Plus, since you’re not cooking the avocado, there’s no “kill step” to catch it afterward.
This risk is easy to overlook because avocado skin looks and feels protective. After all, it’s thick, rough, and inedible. We don’t eat the skin, so why wash it? But as Pallian explains, “A lot of people assume that because they’re not eating the skin, it doesn’t matter. But anything living on the surface can be transferred inside.”
How To Prep Your Avocado Safely
Thankfully, the fix is simple. And “Once you know it, it’s such an easy habit to adopt,” says Pallian. “A quick scrub before you cut is all it takes.” Run the avocado under cool water and scrub the skin before you cut into it–the same way you’d scrub a cantaloupe or a potato. A produce brush helps, but even rubbing the skin firmly under running water makes a significant difference. Then dry it off, slice it open, and proceed as usual. The whole process only adds about 30 seconds to your routine. I tried it and timed myself.
It’s also worth noting that using a clean, sharp knife can help. Pallian shared that a dull blade crushes fruit cells rather than slicing them cleanly, which accelerates browning and deterioration and also increases the surface area exposed to any bacteria present. A quick scrub and a sharp knife are enough to reduce the risk meaningfully.
Avocados aren’t going anywhere in my kitchen. And neither is the produce brush, apparently.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes
Dining and Cooking