Oct

Are Leafy Greens Dangerous To Eat?

By Davy Russell

tomato_and_lettuce_1 Leafy greens topped the list of most dangerous foods prepared by the Center for Science In The Public Interest (CSPI), a consumer advocacy watchdog group. The report cited 363 separate outbreaks since 1990 which resulted in a total of 13,568 reported illnesses attributed to contaminated lettuce, spinach and other greens. This report has been extensively referenced in the news recently so I decided to weigh in. After all, we don’t want to worry that our healthy green smoothie might be harboring some nasty pathogens every time we take a sip.

Understanding The Risk

First of all, we have to realize that most news reports about this top ten list are written to draw in readers. A bold headline which proclaims spinach as the most riskiest food to eat certainly draws the attention of web surfers, but doesn’t paint a clear picture of the actual risk involved with eating spinach or other leafy greens. The news media uses “scare tactic reporting” to draw attention to news stories and attract readers or viewers online.

Secondly, leafy greens are not the only foods on the top 10 list of riskiest foods to eat. Eggs are number two, followed by tuna, oysters, potatoes, cheese, ice cream, tomatoes, sprouts and berries. If eating spinach makes you nervous, consuming any of the other foods should as well. Other foods commonly implicated in disease outbreaks include beef, poultry, pork and recently, peanut paste. Keep in mind that this top ten list of foods, according to the report, only account for 40% of all foodborne illnesses!

It makes no sense to shun leafy greens or avoid green smoothies just because there have been 363 outbreaks related to greens in the last 19 years. According to the report, 240 of these outbreaks were restaurant-related. Only 24 outbreaks were traced to private homes. Other cases were traced to contamination that took place on the farm or in packaging facilities. Pre-washed, bagged lettuce and baby spinach tends to be the most at-risk, as was the case with the widespread bagged spinach contamination in 2006.

The most common pathogens that contaminate leafy greens (and other foods on the top 10 list) include E. coli, Salmonella and norovirus (stomach flu). In rare cases are these pathogens deadly. For most healthy people, they only produce a temporary illness. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly or those with compromised immune systems are the most at risk for developing complications from foodborne illness.

How To Protect Yourself

While there is nothing you can do to prevent contamination that takes place at the farm or in packaging facilities, you can take steps to protect yourself by knowing who the growers and suppliers of your leafy greens are. Look at packaging labels to find information about the company that grows and packages your food. Research them online to find out what steps they take to ensure safety. Purchase fresh produce that looks fresh and wash it thoroughly before you eat it. While washing does not get rid of pathogens, it is still a good idea.

Keeping your kitchen, appliances and utensils clean is the first step in protecting yourself from contamination. Washing your hands thoroughly before preparing food is essential. Washing produce thoroughly can help reduce your risk as well. Even if you plan on peeling produce (such as oranges), it is still important to wash them thoroughly before cutting into them as bacteria on the skin and peel may find their way into the flesh of the fruit when you cut it.

Eating healthy (that includes a daily green smoothie or two) helps to boost your immune system and protects against disease. The benefits of a daily green smoothie, salads or other raw dishes that use leafy greens far outweigh the risk of getting sick from isolated outbreaks. If you wanted to 100% eliminate your risk of getting sick from foods, you’ll starve to death!

A great way of reducing your risk of purchasing and using contaminated foods is to stay informed about current outbreaks. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes an updated listing of recent recalls and safety alerts on their website. You can even subscribe to the RSS feed and follow these alerts on Twitter. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention publishes a lot of helpful information about foodborne illness and current investigations. You can’t always wait until the news media picks up these stories. You’ll find by looking at the current list of recalls that many items are not reported in the news!

Should You Cook Leafy Greens?

While cooking at a certain temperature can kill bacteria or possible contaminants on your foods, I personally do not recommend cooking leafy greens or any fruits or vegetables. Raw foods contain heat-sensitive vitamins that can be destroyed or greatly reduced in the cooking process. Steaming is the least damaging method, but boiling should be avoided as you’ll leach the nutrients out into the water. Cooking also changes the texture of vegetables which may make them unsuitable for using in a smoothie.

Those who follow a raw foods diet also claim that the living enzymes in produce are destroyed in the cooking process. These enzymes, experts say, are an important part of the food’s nutritive value and is important for proper digestion.

What About Irradiation?

Irradiation is a method of pasteurization which uses radiation to kill potential pathogens in food. In the United States, irradiation is already used on meat, poultry, potatoes, spices and shellfish. White potatoes have been treated since 1964 to prolong shelf life and inhibit sprouting. Spinach and lettuce were recently approved by the FDA to be irradiated in 2008. Currently, the USDA does not allow certified organic foods to be irradiated.

Proponents of irradiation claim that there are no harmful effects to humans or animals who eat irradiated foods and that the treatment does not make foods radioactive. Unfortunately, a side effect is that irradiation can lower the nutritional value of foods and destroy a seed’s ability to sprout, which is of particular concern for those who want to eat as close to nature as possible. Raw foodists are particularly critical of using radiation to “sterilize” food.

Furthermore, the CSPI has expressed concerns that irradiation would only apply a band-aid to the food safety issue. A much better and safer way of ensuring food safety is to treat the problem at the source – farms, packaging facilities and to take steps to improve handling safety throughout the industry. Simply zapping food isn’t going to stop contamination and unsafe food practices. Besides, irradiation is ineffective for viruses that may be transmitted through food.

Irradiated foods must be labeled with this symbol in addition to wording indicating that this procedure has been used. Food manufacturers are currently trying to change labeling requirements to make them sound less nuclear such as “cold pasteurized” or “electronically pasteurized”. You might not even know a food has been irradiated since current labeling requirements do apply to restaurants or to food items that use treated ingredients, but were not irradiated themselves.

More on irradiation treatment: CDC FAQ on Irradiation and Organic Consumers Association.

Staying Healthy While Eating Green

Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to eliminate your risk of food poisoning 100%. There are steps you can take to reduce your risk. I encourage you to keep up to date with current food recalls and do your own research on current food safety procedures.

I will not stop eating greens or drinking green smoothies, but I will take extra precautions to ensure I get high quality ingredients from organic growers who practice sanitary handling and processing methods.