Leafy Greens and Vegetables
Vegetables and leafy greens are a standard source of food poisoning, especially when consumed raw. Fruits and veggies have caused several food poisoning outbreaks, especially lettuce, cabbage, spinach, celery, and tomatoes.
These risky FDA-approved store foods can become contaminated with dangerous bacteria, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. This can happen across various stages of the supply chain.
It happens due to unclean water and dirty runoff, which can seep into the soil when growing vegetables and fruits. It can also happen from unhygienic food preparation practices and dirty processing equipment.
Leafy greens are especially risky because they’re often eaten raw. In fact, between the years 1973 and 2012, 85% of the food poisoning outbreaks in our country that were caused by leafy greens like lettuce, cabbage, kale, and spinach were traced back to food prepared in a catering facility or restaurant.
To minimize your risk, be sure to always wash these risky FDA-approved store foods thoroughly before consuming. Don’t buy bags of salad mix containing spoiled, mushy leaves, and avoid pre-prepared salads left to sit at room temperature.
