Bagged Salad: E. Coli Threat
Dole was the company who packaged the affected bagged salad, and they have been accused of not properly washing lettuce leaves. Both Dole and the FDA have agreed that pre-packaged salads do not require a second hand-washing by consumers, though many experts encourage you to wash them anyway. Regardless of how many times you wash bagged salad, however, the threat of E. Coli bacteria is still not eliminated.
Bagged salad – specifically lettuce and spinach blends – have been linked to several E.Coli outbreaks across the nation, owing to the difficulty in keeping bacteria from the produce. Although the chances of contracting a foodborne illness from bagged salad is quite low, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is still possible, and the FDA has issued a national warning against consuming certain types of Dole bagged salad blends.
The most recent E. Coli outbreak from bagged salad occurred in Minnesota and Wyoming, and affected thirteen patients, all of whom are doing fine. Four were hospitalized and subsequently released, while the others suffered relatively mild bacterial infections.
One of the main problems with this situation is that the cessation of buying bagged lettuce for the home will not end the threat. Camps, schools, restaurants and other venues purchase bagged salad by the truckload to cut down on labor costs and to promote convenience. It is possible to come into contact with infected bagged salad outside the home, which is where the major threat lies.
The lettuce becomes affected in the fields, most often, from run-off water from nearby pastures and from affected irrigation waters. It can also be present when plant workers fail to adequately wash their hands, or from any number of other places. Other foods might contain excess amounts of E. Coli but are not as big of a threat since bagged salad is served raw without the benefit of boiling or cooking to rid it from bacterial threats.
Further, simply washing the leaves might not remove much of the E. Coli. In recent studies, scientists have found that simply washing lettuce contaminated with E. Coli or salmonella removes only a small percentage of the bacteria present.
If you have any Dole bagged salad in your refrigerator, it would be best to remove and dispose of it immediately. In the future, pay attention to what you purchase at the grocery store, and make sure that you use bagged sald before the expiration date. The FDA has said that it is infinitely safer to purchase heads of lettuce rather than bagged salad, and to always wash lettuce and spinach leaves thoroughly before consumption.
