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Fresh Leafy Greens Grown in the US are Safe(Link)
Each year many tons of fresh produce are consumed by the American public. In the overwhelming majority of instances, there is no consequent illness. Nevertheless, from time to time outbreaks, such as the recent E. Coli bacteria outbreak linked to raw spinach, do occur.
Many government entities, such as the FDA, the USDA The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State of California have been involved in investigating the cause of the outbreaks as well as conducting research to identify and develop industry practices that will minimize the risk of future outbreaks.
In August of 2006 the FDA and the State of California launched the Lettuce Safety Initiative that has subsequently been expanded to include spinach and other leafy greens. It is especially important with fresh produce that consumers follow proper storage techniques. The FDA advises consumers that to “maintain the quality of fresh produce, certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) can be best maintained in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40° F or below.”1 Consumers are also advised that all pre-cut or peeled produce should be refrigerated for safety and to maintain quality. It should be noted that frozen spinach was not implicated in the September 2006 E. Coli bacteria outbreak.
1 FDA Consumer / November-December 2006
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