What has happened is a very simple chemical process of making vegetables look green.
Usually, vegetables are cooked to remain green by adding calcium bicarbonate which raises the pH of the system to remain alkaline. What we see in the video above is a similar process of adding soap detergent to vegetables which are water stressed and wilted.
Soap water is alkaline and it is therefore able raise the pH of the system, enabling the vegetables to absorb more water for recovery and also causing the vegetables becoming fully green.
However, the issue of food safety regarding detergent adulteration is a grave one and which should not be tolerated; particularly if the vegetables are not adequately and fully re-washed. Our people need education to do the right thing.
John Igene
Professor Emeritus of Food Science and Technology..