Abstract: A cleaning apparatus for fruits or vegetables includes a plurality of rods disposed in parallel about a common axis and defining a space having an intake opening and a discharge opening. The rods include driven rods rotated about their respective axes and nondriven idler rods. The rods are moved along a closed circular path surrounding the axis as the driven rods are rotated. The food items being cleaned can be fed through the cleaner from the intake to the discharge opening by a feed mechanism in the form of an auger brush.