These grocery staples carry the biggest E. coli risk

Do you often grab

pre-washed greens

or pre-cut produce? Well, it’s surely convenient, but what about safety? Yes, of course, we know you buy these ‘organic’ labeled produce from some of the biggest grocery chains in the city, but does that mean E.coli gives a damn about it?
Fast food giant

Quarter Pounders

is said to have made at least 75 people sick and has resulted in one person’s death.
Across 13 states in the US infected with E. coli,

food safety

has become a pressing issue. While the investigation is ongoing, federal officials believe that prewashed, slivered onions served raw on the Quarter Pounders are likely the source of the

E. coli

outbreak.
E. coli infection is not just limited to hamburgers. Food safety experts have made shocking revelations about how some of the

grocery staples

, which we often assume as healthy can lead to food-borne illness.

And packaged pre-washed greens take the cake. Yes, that’s right. Barbara Kowalcyk, Director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington Universit told NBC that pre-washed greens such as lettuce, vegetables, and even cut fruit should be avoided as they can be the breeding ground for E.coli.

Instead, the good old way of buying whole heads of lettuce, washing it with water at home, and patting it dry with paper towels is the way forward. The expert also suggests that torn and damaged leaves should be thrown away because there are chances of the bacteria’s presence.

Avoiding cantaloupe is better, as it is often contaminated with pathogens, including salmonella and listeria. The webbed rind of cantaloupe can trap bacteria, so avoiding it is better to prevent the infection.

In the case of sprouts, the situation is quite different. In the process of producing sprouts, the seeds are exposed to warm temperatures and they release nutrients as they sprout into the water, which is a breeding ground for bacteria.

Don Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University cautioned that most fruits, particularly those left out for extended periods, also carry a risk. Similarly, it’s better to avoid cut fruits at breakfast buffets, where the fruit sits all day long. Though the physical appearance may necessarily not change, it can grow bacteria.
So better safe than sorry.
(Pic courtesy: iStock)