Excerpts from http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2006/1016/048a.html


The outcome of this spinach misfortune may be an expensive reform of
the bagged-salad business, which generates annual sales of $2.5
billion.

Bagged produce is often precut, releasing water and nutrients that
feed bacteria. The bags trap moisture, creating a humid heaven for
bacteria if refrigeration fails. The cut greens are hard to wash, and
you can't remove outer leaves as you can with a head of romaine.
The offender in this case is the toxic O157:H7 strain of Escherichia
coli.

Several preventive measures are possible. One is to mandate that salad
packers douse the leaves with chlorine solution, but Natural Selection
does that. Another approach is to try to displace O157:H7 in farm
animals, whose manure can be spread to nearby farmland. Many cows are
already fed bacteria much like those in yogurt that reduce the amount
of O157:H7 in manure.



--

The most important tool of the scientist is the wastebasket.

....Albert Einstein