"Wash Salad"

[#1]

I was surprised that people are actually having to be told to wash salad after a major outbreak of E.coli where already 150+ have been infected with two fatalities.

Doesn't everybody wash everything? Fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat all get washed in my house.

Never any food poisoning here.

Yes I sometimes buy pre-packed salads but I still wash it as I'm not willing to put my health in the hands of a stranger over such a simple to do yourself thing.

[#2]

You know, it`s a funny thing..... E-coli is a load of germs... and you need "something" to kill or disable them... does "drowning" come into effect here  ? ? 

I`m not "rubbishing" your post... as I read the article myself, and agree with your sentiments... it`s just a thought that kinda went through my head...

What do you wash salad/fruit/veg with, to kill off any bacteria/germs that they may have picked up/collected in transit to your home? 

I hear that "Domestos kills 99% of household germs.."... but is E-coli a household germ  ? ?  !!!  and would you wash your lettuce in it  ? 

[#3]

some people get a false sense of security and assume because a salad is prepacked it can be used without washing.

However you do see supermarkets selling small plastic containers of salad mixed with other things, the intention being that people at work can buy them for lunch ? I wonder how safe they are.

Not sure how accurate it is but one newspaper claimed that sandwiches provided to patients in hospital had in some cases been stored incorrectly and were dangerous.

So imagine going into hospital with one ailment and getting a second one through no fault of your own.

[#4]

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@shutter wrote:

You know, it`s a funny thing..... E-coli is a load of germs... and you need "something" to kill or disable them... does "drowning" come into effect here  ? ? 

I`m not "rubbishing" your post... as I read the article myself, and agree with your sentiments... it`s just a thought that kinda went through my head...

What do you wash salad/fruit/veg with, to kill off any bacteria/germs that they may have picked up/collected in transit to your home? 

I hear that "Domestos kills 99% of household germs.."... but is E-coli a household germ  ? ?  !!!  and would you wash your lettuce in it  ? 

Strange you should ask that, I recall a case years ago where wedding guests had been given food that was contanimated with some food poisoning bug.

Those who had consumed large quantities of alcohol were not effected but those who had minimal alcohol were very bad with some requiring hospital treatment, so was it the quantity of fluid that the consumed that protected them or is it more likely the alcohol killed the bugs ?

Worth remembering that alcohol was used to steralise medical insturments at one time.

Moderator's note by Mike (Mav): Quote fixed.

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[#5]

Life's too short to mess with all this wot's good for you nonsense 

I like my meat red, the most tasty part of a carrot is the skin so I don't peel them. Salad has never been as clean, supermarkets are too clean if anything, all salads and vegetables used to be sold with the mud still on, you had to wash them too gritty otherwise. 

[#6]

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@billnotben wrote:

Doesn't everybody wash everything? Fruit, vegetables, fish, and meat all get washed in my house.

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The advice is not to wash chicken as it increases the risk of food poisoning.

[#7]

I would simply imagine that the bugs are not in the salad but on the surfaces in the remains of the probably filthy water they were washed with before packing.

Washing at home will at least remove those surface contaminants. It can only be an improvement.

I'm all for a bit of dirt or grit on my veg or fruit. But that's the veg and fruit grown in my own garden. So I know where its  been.

As for "Domestos kills 99% of household germs.." I've also heard that wiping surfaces with a clean damp cloth is nearly as good.

The chicken is sound advice up to a point. Once I've removed the bag of giblets and other remnants I'll think I'll take a chance and still give the innards a rinse.

[#8]

Could always give things a rinse in a potassium permanganate solution, that usually kills bugs and disinfects things...

Heck, some survivalists even use it to purify water (well, kill nasties in water, as opposed to removing pollution) that they drink, so it's safe enough...

[#9]

What ? You cannot be serious.....   KMNo4 + H2So4 = rocket fuel ..  ( not sure what quantities of each though.... just remember it from school science lessons about 60 years ago ! ! )

[#10]

Potassium permanganate is a rather useful chemical, it can sterilise, it can make fire (with the aid of glycerine), it can cure fungal infections in your feet, it can stain clothing brown for theatrical use, it can be used to make "elephant's toothpaste" with hydrogen peroxide, it's used to treat ornamental fish, heck, even dentists use it for mouthwash (you know, that cup of pinky-purple rinse & spit stuff they have), plenty uses...

[#11]

Infact, looking up some videos on youtube, whaddyaknow, Cleaning Veg with Potassium Permanganate...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ssf5ReN3Q