Before a fruit or vegetable reaches our kitchen, it may have already gone through several stages of farming, harvesting and transportation. By the time it lands on our plate, however, there is one thing most of us do almost instinctively: wash it.
But is water enough?
Plain water can remove visible dirt and grime, but it may not remove all pesticide residues. National-level testing has found pesticide residues in one in five fruit samples, highlighting a concern that often remains invisible on the kitchen counter.
It was this everyday problem that caught the attention of Pune-based scientist Dr Asmita Prabhune.
Five years to find a solution
Rather than simply asking people to wash their produce more thoroughly, Dr Prabhune set out to develop a solution that could help tackle pesticide residues more effectively.
From the laboratory to the kitchen counter, Sophab is designed to add an extra step to the everyday practice of washing fruits and vegetables.
For five years, she worked through formulation challenges, trials and testing to develop Sophab, an organic produce-wash solution made using natural salts and herbal oils.
According to the team, Sophab can remove up to 99% of pesticide residues from fresh produce in about two minutes.
The process is simple. Sophab is diluted in water, fruits or vegetables are soaked in the solution for two to three minutes, gently rubbed and then rinsed with clean water.
And that is it — a small addition to a routine most households already follow.
From the laboratory to the kitchen
Turning an idea into something people can actually use, however, took years of work.
Dr Prabhune’s journey involved repeated trials and testing to arrive at a formulation that could be practical for everyday use. Today, a 100 ml bottle of Sophab costs ₹85.
For her, the motivation was never simply commercial.
“I didn’t want to make a profit. I wanted to help people,” she tells.
The concern she is addressing is imperative. One recent study found that people who consumed more spinach, strawberries and bell peppers had higher levels of pesticide biomarkers in their urine.
What began as a question about food safety is now evolving into solutions for cleaner produce, even when people are eating on the go.
While washing cannot replace responsible farming practices or food-safety regulations, innovations that help consumers take an additional step at home can make everyday food habits more informed.
An idea that is still evolving
Dr Prabhune and her team are now working on another version of the idea: wipes that could help clean fruits and vegetables when people are eating on the go.
It is a reminder that meaningful innovation does not always have to begin with a complicated machine or futuristic technology. Sometimes, it starts with a question in the kitchen: Can we make something we do every day a little safer?
Dr Prabhune spent five years turning that question into a solution, showing how science, when designed around an everyday need, can find its way from the laboratory to the lives of milli
