Re: why do grocery store owners spray fresh fruits and vegatables with water

In nature plants maintain a water balance by constantly replacing water 
lost to the atmosphere by water absorbed by the roots.  If water loss 
exceeds water replacement, the plant wilts.  Harvested produce, whole to 
partial plants, have no means of replacing water lost and they quickly 
wilt.  Leafy vegetables like lettuce & spinach would wilt fastest.  Waxy 
skinned vegetables like cabbage and fruits like cucumber and apples will 
wilt most slowly.  To keep produce firm and fresh, they are sprayed with 
water. Vegetables like potatoes and onions have skins that retard water 
loss so well they don't need spraying.

Here's a simple experiment.  Take three cucumbers or apples.  They have 
both a waxy cuticle and an epidermis (skin) to retard water loss.  Leave 
one intact (a control), wash the second one with a strong detergent 
designed to remove floor wax, and the peel the third one.  Now weigh all 
three and continue to weigh them daily.  You can probably guess the 
results.