High multiplication of germs in packaged salads - Unimagined health risk

Plant juice from broken leaves increases the risk for salmonella
Many people like to eat fresh salad. But what to do if fresh salad is not available? Then we often resort to packaged salad bags. Researchers now found that broken leaves in such salad bags greatly increase the risk of food poisoning. Corresponding salad can even increase the growth of Salmonella by 2,400 times.

Researchers at the University of Leicester found in an investigation that packaged salad is at an increased risk of Salmonella proliferation. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Applied and Environmental Microbiology".

Packaged salad does not have the best reputation. Physicians have now discovered that such a salad is often a major health hazard. The juice from broken lettuce leaves increases the risk of salmonella pathogens many times over. (Image: aquar / fotolia.com)

Washing the salad does not improve
In the supermarket many packaged salads are sold in bags. Such salads often contain broken leaves. These broken leaves increase the risk of salmonella pathogens. Even if we wash our lettuce, it makes no difference, the experts warn. The salmonella clings so well to the lettuce leaves that even heavy washing can not remove it, the British daily "The Telegraph" quotes the experts.

Packaged salads should be avoided as much as possible
Bags of packaged salad are a veritable breeding ground for deadly salmonella. The broken leaves in such salad can increase the likelihood of food poisoning by 2,400 times, explain the authors. From these broken leaves in the sealed pouches liquid can leak, causing the growth of Salmonella pathogens. For this reason, private households should avoid such salads as possible, the researchers add.

Plant juices increase the growth of salmonella massively
The results show the need for lettuce growers to meet high food safety standards. Even small traces of the released plant juices can cause Salmonella to multiply, explain the physicians.

Effects of Salmonella Disease:
Salmonella infection can cause high fever, vomiting and diarrhea. Such a disease is very uncomfortable for most people. For older people and very young children with an endangered immune system, it can even be fatal, warn the experts.

Study examines risk of broken leaves in salad bags
The current study examined for the first time the burden of Salmonella in packaged salad bags. The researchers did not examine the levels of salmonella in purchased salad bags. They examined the bacteria on the damaged leaves and on the surface of the plastic bags, reports the "Telegraph".

Salmonella attach to the surface of plastic bags
According to the researchers, the leaking sap made the salmonella virulent. This increased the potential threat to consumers. The plastic bags were cut into 2 cm long sections. Then it was tested how strong the Salmonella in so-called biofilms adhered to the surface, explain the scientists.

Storage in the refrigerator has no advantages against the proliferation of salmonella
The levels of Salmonella were virulent enough to infect humans when the salad was no longer packaged. The bacteria also proliferated on the lettuce leaves when kept cool in the refrigerator. It is worrying that the salmonella burden in the study is also increasing in the cold environment of a refrigerator, the researchers explain. The temperature of refrigerators is typically 4 degrees Celsius. Already the plant juice of two hundredths of a teaspoon rich here too to increase the risk of infection of the salad.

Wash the salad every time before consumption
If you do not use a fresh salad, packaged salad should definitely be bought uncut. The salad must always be washed before consumption, even if it has already been washed. Kimon Karatzas from the University of Reading vs. the Telegraph. In addition, it is very important that such foods are stored in the refrigerator. However, both do not really help against the Salmonella.

More and more outbreaks of food poisoning in recent years
In recent years there has been an increased number of outbreaks of food poisoning associated with fresh salad products, the scientists warn. The salads were in these cases usually contaminated with salmonella and E. coli. (As)