Do You Really Need To Wash Avocados? An Expert Weighs In

I've grown up and lived most of my life in California, which means a few things: getting me out of the ocean is a task, I thrive in the sunshine, and above all, I know that avocados grown here are premium.

Around 90 percent of the nation's avocados are grown in California, and because of that, I was lucky enough to eat about anything topped with a slice or dice of green-fleshed fruit. I'm so dedicated to the fruit that I've even driven hours to an annual avocado festival, where I've tried all kinds of delicious delicacies, such as deep-fried avocado and avocado ice cream.

Recently, while halving a perfectly ripe avocado, I noticed some dirt on the outside of the bumpy black skin, which led me to wonder: Should I have washed the avocado before cutting into it?

I wash other pitted fruits, like peaches and apricots, because I eat their skins. Yet I couldn't get it out of my head that, as the knife slices through the avocado's skin, it drags whatever might be on that outer surface onto the fruit's internal flesh.

To find the answer, I reached out to Dr. Bryan Quoc Le, a food scientist and author of 150 Food Science Questions Answered.

Do You Need To Wash Avocados? Here’s What a Food Scientist Says

Whether or not you wash avocados before cutting, Le says it's up to personal preference. "There are typically few reasons to wash an avocado before cutting into it," he explains. "If there is any visible grime or dirt, you may consider washing it, but for the most part, anything that may be growing on the surface is not likely to be a problem."

"You would be mostly removing large particles of dirt," adds Le. "The reality is that if there are any bacteria or mold on the surface of the avocado, they would not be easily dislodged." Plus, he says, "while some transfer might occur between the surface of the avocado skin into the flesh during cutting, if the avocado is eaten immediately afterwards, things like mold or bacteria usually pose no issue."

When I think about it, that makes sense. When spores or bacteria have no time to grow or multiply, they pose a minimal risk. 

"If you plan to wash your avocados, water is sufficient to clean off any dirt or debris. Don't bother using anything else, like vinegar or soap. Those are likely to add an odd flavor."

So, put simply, if I feel the need to wash some visible dirt off my skin, a simple scrub with water will do the trick, and I'll be good to go.