This simple reflex to prevent your salad from making you sick

Lettuce has many health benefits. A natural antioxidant, it is a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals for our body. On the other hand, it is susceptible to contamination by the bacteria Escherichia coli (E.coli) and the cause of several foodborne outbreaks in the United States. Researchers at the University of Illinois may have found a way to protect themselves from the poison from this salad.

To achieve their results, they treated whole leaves of 5 different vegetables with E. coli and observed the results when the food was stored. 4°C, 20°C and 37°C.

Responses may vary depending on plant sensitivity, which is determined by a combination of factors including leaf properties (for example according to their roughness).

“At room temperature, E. coli grows very rapidly on lettuce”

The researchers then compared E. coli on lettuce compared to other vegetables. Note the large presence of coli bacteria: “At room temperature or above, E. coli grows very rapidly on lettuce, but if the lettuce is refrigerated at 4°C, we see a drastic reduction in the E. coli population.” reports Mengy Dong, lead author of the study in the journal Food Microbiology. Rinsing the salad is helpful but not enough to remove all bacteria. According to the researchers, you should also consider refrigerating it to reduce the risk of contamination by E. coli.

Kale and cabbage, more resistant

Results were different for other vegetables studied. Thus, compared to lettuce, kale and green cabbage are generally E. coli is less susceptible to contamination. “On these vegetables, E. coli grows more slowly in warmer temperatures, but if it’s already present, He can live for a long time under refrigeration.“Additionally, researchers found that spinach, kale and collard greens have antimicrobial properties that protect against E. coli. Not to mention that these vegetables are often eaten cooked which kills the bacteria while lettuce is eaten raw.

In conclusion, they state that they do not want to discourage consumers from eating fresh vegetables. They say you just need to wash it well after purchase, store it in the refrigerator and remember potential food safety.