Um, eek!

[rowangolightly]

Do you eat salad out of a bag?


This was sent to be via Judy; I checked this out on Snopes and it is true.

NBC Dateline did a documentary on cut-up lettuce and spinach packaged in plastic
bags. They showed whole process and talked about how the Ecoli bacteria is now showing
up in the salad mix in bags. They don't know yet how the Ecoli got in, but
they do know that deaths and serious sicknesses are occurring in many
states.

One woman told about how her child was near death from the lettuce and
was sick for a long time. They warned us not to buy any bag salads until
they find out from the investigation what is causing this contamination.

The Dole Company has recalled their bags. See the link below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12536902/
<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12536902/>

Comments

[cplady.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting that. Now I'm wondering if those two bouts of nausea and trots I had recently were from the bagged greens. I generally mix the spring mix greens with lettuce I cut up myself.

Needless to say, I'm dumping the one I currently have and will chop my own.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Yeah....exactly, me too! I've been buying them since I didn't grow any this year but now, not so much!

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Oh, I did note that the two types in which e.coli was found was *not* the Spring mix which is what I usually buy. It was 'classic' and I forget the other one. But better safe than sorry, far as I'm concerned.

If I want lettuce for somethign, I'll buy a head and cut it up myself!

Y'know, that also makes me wonder a bit about salad bars in restaurants....

[lilychantvestry.livejournal.com]

Well, as far as the salad bar goes at Mazzio's on Pine & Sheridan.....it's gonna be clean and up to code (at least during the day shift). I know this for a FACT because my mother is the "salad bar lady" there. :D

During the night shift....I can't vouch for them...but usually it's not bad. :)

And my mom will be going on vacation here in about a week...so I won't vouch for the salad bar during her vacation.

Yes, I know this is probably quite a drive for some people on your friends list.....but for those who it isn't.....feel free to stop by and see my mom. :) They've usually got standing room only during the lunch buffett. :)

I had heard about the Dole salad bags awhile back. I just stopped buying them altogether at that point. If I want a salad I'll either go see my mom at work or buy the stuff to make my own. :)

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, pretty much...

Due to our schedules, about the only time we eat out is fast-food on the way somewhere and then I don't get lettuce on my sammich.

And as for Bruce, well, he doesn't eat the stuff anyway.

The only Mazzio's we do is delivery.....

But that's a very good recommendation and good to know, thanks!

[eacole72.livejournal.com]

This would be why I haven't bought anything from Dole's fresh foods line in a while. :) We buy another brand, Earth____ Organics, which have been cheaper than Dole's products, and the quality has been better (no wilted slime in the bottom of the package the day I buy it, for example).

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Thanks...I'll look for that!

[kcalohagirl.livejournal.com]

One of the reasons E.coli is becoming more prevalent in places you wouldn't normally expect is because of the movement towards use of 'organic' fertilizers. Now, as a gardener, you know that 'organic' fertilizer consists of cow dung. Old cow manure that has been sitting around for quite awhile to be sure, but still. . . . .E.Coli is an intestinal bacteria that can make it's way onto greens that haven't been washed properly in this fashion.

So. . . .wash wash wash wash wash! Produce from developing countries, such as Mexico can also be risky. Strawberries were a culprit a few years ago.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Thanks, dear...that's good to know!

[rougewench.livejournal.com]

You all might want to note that this warning dates back to a problem which occurred in October of 2005, and MSNBC didn't catch up with that problem until April of 2006 when it bothered to do the report.


D.

Old news

[be4u.livejournal.com]

Good catch!

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'd noticed that, too...

Remember when I bartended at the Hilton?

[be4u.livejournal.com]

If you saw what I saw, on a daily and consistient basis, you'd never eat at another restuarant again...

Re: Remember when I bartended at the Hilton?

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that's true! There are times when ignorance is bliss...so long as it doesn't kill you.

I've done Living Statues at some places to which I never, ever returned after seeing the kitchens or behind the banquet rooms...

Re: Remember when I bartended at the Hilton?

[be4u.livejournal.com]

Luckily...I've built up a tolerance for such stuff. It's like getting a vaccine :)

I'll never forget during the Christmas banquet season, there'd be tables lined up in the hallways with desserts on them (usually cheesecake).

Totally uncovered.

This was in the hallways we used to walk to the bathroom, clock in, go to the breakroom, etc. In winter, so...people had colds, coughing / sneezing...muddy boots from being out in the elements...you get the idea.

The tables...totally uncovered. UGH! And it wasn't uncommon for banquet tables to be set the night before, so the silverware would have dust, etc on it.

Have I grossed you out yet? :)

Re: Remember when I bartended at the Hilton?

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

*chuckle*

No, I have an amazingly high gross-out factor.

[typsygypsy.livejournal.com]

My roommate got food poisoning last week and she told me afterward about this article a day or so after. She told me about it then brought out the bag of Dole lettuce she'd bought, smiling grimly.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Ye gods!

And everybody has kept this thing relatively quiet, I mean, note the comment above about when this story actually first broke loose as opposed to when these cases actually transpired!

Pisses me right off, it does...

[typsygypsy.livejournal.com]

I read the other comment... Which kinda made me curious. Because it was only last week or the week before when Carol made a salad from the Dole bag and asked us all if we wanted salad- we'd eaten and declined. She was sick the next day, so this is either a new case or she was sick from something else. But if Dole was shoddy with their cleaning once, they certainly could be again...

also the cut green beans

[suzyqvoodoo.livejournal.com]

also applies to the cut vegetables in bags... like the green beans that are pre-trimmed & washed...
I used to use those all the time, until I ready about people getting sick

And they have to preserve the vegetables once cut, which is another unnecessary thing..

Seems like the convenience is not worth it.

Just goes to show that the easy road is not necessarily the right road!

Re: also the cut green beans

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

Yes, absolutely!

Of course, it also reminds me to be very, very careful washing the veggies coming in from my own garden!
I mean, you really can't be too careful with stuff liek that, can you?