Time to make your own salad? *update - traced to Olive Garden and Red Lobster

[brainhulk]

http://news.yahoo.com/origin-salad-linked-outbreak-remains-mystery-222413730.html

Nearly 400 people across the country have been sickened by cyclospora, a lengthy intestinal illness usually contracted by eating contaminated food. But if you're looking to find out exactly where it came from, you may be out of luck.Federal officials warned Wednesday that it was too early to say whether the outbreak of the rare parasite reported in at least 15 states was over.
Health officials in Nebraska and Iowa say they've traced cases there to prepackaged salad. They haven't revealed the company that packaged the salad or where it was sold, explaining only that most if not all of it wasn't grown locally.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/parasitic-infection-sickened-almost-400-195300266.html

it looks like these cases are always popping up. I think i will just make my own salad from now on

UPDATE
http://news.yahoo.com/fda-links-stomach-bug-2-states-mexican-farm-213132839.html

The Food and Drug Administration says an outbreak of stomach illnesses in Iowa and Nebraska is linked to salad mix served at Olive Garden and Red Lobster restaurants in those states and supplied by a Mexican farm.The outbreak of cyclospora infections has sickened more than 400 people in 16 states in all. The agency says it is working to determine whether the salad mix is the source of illnesses in the other 14 states.

 

[Mixolydian]

I only get salads at restaurants/fast food places. ain't nobody got time for that.

 

[Red Squirrel]

We're at a point where we can't trust any food anymore. Sadly, nobody aint got time to make their own, so we continue to rely on sub par food made by 3rd parties. The companies that make it are continuously finding ways to cut costs, and these things happen.

 

[Mixolydian]

We're at a point where we can't trust any food anymore. Sadly, nobody aint got time to make their own, so we continue to rely on sub par food made by 3rd parties. The companies that make it are continuously finding ways to cut costs, and these things happen.

even if you cook all your meals from scratch, you still have to worry about contaminated ingredients. Food safety, at least in the U.S., is getting really bad.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah you'd have to grow your own food to be on the safe side. Nobody aint got time for that, not to mention you have to rely on weather, or have a climate controlled greenhouse. Nobody aint got room for that.

 

[Midwayman]

I'm not flexible enough to toss my own.

 

[lxskllr]

You could get sick from whole greens too. Premixed salad allows for more cross-contamination, but I don't consider it substantially less safe than whole greens.

 

[CPA]

The aren't "always" popping up. That's why it's news.

 

[mmntech]

Does nobody wash their food anymore before eating it?

 

[lxskllr]

Does nobody wash their food anymore before eating it?

I don't. I'm pretty dubious of the benefit of washing food, especially things like lettuce. Unless you scrub with water and soap, I don't think you're washing much off, especially biological agents. That doesn't count the stuff the plant's absorbed, and can't be washed no matter how hard you scrub.

 

[lozina]

That's why I only eat salads/raw food at home with quality ingredients and with thorough washing/handling/care

 

[momeNt]

We have evolved to require cooked food. Our brains use up too much blood to operate a fully powered raccoon stomach that can eat just about anything. Embrace that and start cooking your fucking food people!

 

[mkrohn]

Yeah you'd have to grow your own food to be on the safe side. Nobody aint got time for that, not to mention you have to rely on weather, or have a climate controlled greenhouse. Nobody aint got room for that.

Lettuce grows like crazy. The ones we grew this year have reached about 5ft tall and when the weather gets bad I have some grow lights all setup and waiting....

 

[mmntech]

I don't. I'm pretty dubious of the benefit of washing food, especially things like lettuce. Unless you scrub with water and soap, I don't think you're washing much off, especially biological agents. That doesn't count the stuff the plant's absorbed, and can't be washed no matter how hard you scrub.

That's rather disgusting that you don't wash your food. Even if the benefits are dubious, I don't see what the drawbacks are.

 

[mkrohn]

how is tossing your own salad an option? It's impossible, I've tried

 

[lxskllr]

That's rather disgusting that you don't wash your food. Even if the benefits are dubious, I don't see what the drawbacks are.

Takes time, and makes the food wet. Lets take Romaine lettuce as an example. You rinse it off, but you aren't really cleaning it due to the crevices . It can't be scrubbed since it'll bruise the leaves. Then you have to to dry it. You pat it dry to avoid damage, so that's half-assed also. Your only option is to let it sit out awhile if you want it very dry, and I don't feel like spending that time for no perceivable benefit.

I'll wash things like spinach to remove actual dirt because I don't like gritty vegetables. There, I'm getting some benefit for the work I put into it, so it's worth the time.

 

[MarkXIX]

Takes time, and makes the food wet. Lets take Romaine lettuce as an example. You rinse it off, but you aren't really cleaning it due to the crevices . It can't be scrubbed since it'll bruise the leaves. Then you have to to dry it. You pat it dry to avoid damage, so that's half-assed also. Your only option is to let it sit out awhile if you want it very dry, and I don't feel like spending that time for no perceivable benefit.

I'll wash things like spinach to remove actual dirt because I don't like gritty vegetables. There, I'm getting some benefit for the work I put into it, so it's worth the time.

Pull leaves apart, rinse and scrub thoroughly with bare hands (washed of course), place in layers on paper towels and place in the refrigerator for a few hours. The refrigerator acts as a natural dehumidifier and will dry and cool the leaves at the same time.

 

[Jeff7]

I don't. I'm pretty dubious of the benefit of washing food, especially things like lettuce. Unless you scrub with water and soap, I don't think you're washing much off, especially biological agents. That doesn't count the stuff the plant's absorbed, and can't be washed no matter how hard you scrub.

And some of those prepacked salads are allegedly washed at least three times before reaching the stores.

 

[MustISO]

I don't eat the bagged stuff because I find it tastes terrible but this is another good reason. It never seems very fresh so I buy as much local or organic greens as I can and always make my own.

 

[Anonemous]

At least wash the bagged stuff a couple times if you are going to eat it.

 

[Childs]

They should release the brand name. Kinda BS that they haven't already.

 

[PowerYoga]

"prewashed" is just bullshit. I never trust that. Also a lot easier to catch parasites and shit like this if you wash your salad.

 

[lxskllr]

"prewashed" is just bullshit. I never trust that. Also a lot easier to catch parasites and shit like this if you wash your salad.

I don't buy from France. California and Mexico are the way to go.

 

[dawp]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57596658/laws-may-stop-identification-of-cyclospora-source/

was not aware of this, if there is 'no further risk' they don't name source.

 

[Newbian]

Just another reason not to be a hippy and eat bacon instead.