CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
brands.

As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
health benefits of doing so, yet who has mild
ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
effects.

One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.

Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
greens and store them? What equipment would make this
as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

> wrote:

>CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
>and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
>bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
>brands.
>
>As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
>health benefits of doing so, yet who has mild
>ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
>effects.
>
>One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
>even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.
>
>Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
>greens and store them? What equipment would make this
>as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
enough time to do it thoroughly.

Of course you're better off buying local produce that
you know where it's been.

Steve

On 1/30/2010 10:44 AM, wrote:
> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
SNIP
> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

I suspect greens are perhaps vaguely the same as hamburger. Processed
foods are worst,

Avoid convenience foods, buy a head of lettuce, peel off and throw away
the outer layer of leaves, rinse and dry before consumption. Buy whole
carrots, rinse before you peel. Etc.. Any food that is processed for
convenience are more prone to contamination.

--
piedmont, The Practical BBQ'r

http://sites.google.com/site/thepracticalbbqr/

(Steve Pope) wrote:

>I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
>salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
>enough time to do it thoroughly.


That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
salad spinner?

piedmont > wrote:

>Avoid convenience foods, buy a head of lettuce, peel off and throw away
>the outer layer of leaves, rinse and dry before consumption. Buy whole
>carrots, rinse before you peel. Etc.. Any food that is processed for
>convenience are more prone to contamination.

The most contaminated salads were those contain spinach
leaves

How do you buy a "head" of spinach?

> wrote:

(Steve Pope) wrote:

>>I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
>>salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
>>enough time to do it thoroughly.

>That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
>salad spinner?

I'm very satisfied with the OXO in terms of performance, and
it can be used one-handed. (Maybe they all can these days.) It
has one drawback in that there are some small hidden spaces
in the mechanism that can never be completley cleaned, so it's good
(I think) to replace it every 2 or 3 years.

Steve

Steve wrote on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:40:12 +0000 (UTC):

>> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
>> and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
>> bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
>> brands.
>>
>> As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
>> health benefits of doing so, yet who has mild
>> ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
>> effects.
>>
>> One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
>> even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.
>>
>> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
>> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
>> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

> I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
> salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
> enough time to do it thoroughly.

> Of course you're better off buying local produce that
> you know where it's been.

Do they tell you which horse they used for the organic fertilizer?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:58:41 -0600, wrote:

>piedmont > wrote:
>
>>Avoid convenience foods, buy a head of lettuce, peel off and throw away
>>the outer layer of leaves, rinse and dry before consumption. Buy whole
>>carrots, rinse before you peel. Etc.. Any food that is processed for
>>convenience are more prone to contamination.
>
>The most contaminated salads were those contain spinach
>leaves
>
>How do you buy a "head" of spinach?

Frozen.

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 11:48:45 -0500, piedmont > wrote:

>On 1/30/2010 10:44 AM, wrote:
>> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
>SNIP
>> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
>> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
>> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?
>
>I suspect greens are perhaps vaguely the same as hamburger. Processed
>foods are worst,
>
>Avoid convenience foods, buy a head of lettuce, peel off and throw away
>the outer layer of leaves, rinse and dry before consumption. Buy whole
>carrots, rinse before you peel. Etc.. Any food that is processed for
>convenience are more prone to contamination.

'Zactly. I've never bought mystery greens, never will.

wrote:
>(Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>>I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
>>salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
>>enough time to do it thoroughly.
>
>
>That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
>salad spinner?

A clean towel is best.

I wash salad stuff in a large colander and let it drain a bit, then
dump it all onto a clean towel, that usually absorbs all the moisture
I care about... if I really want desert dry I place the towel filled
with greens into a pillow case and swing it around outside (in winter
the washer spin cycle works very well - so long as I own a clothes
washer I see no need for a salad spinner). But for my use the towel
absorbs enough, I very rarely need to spin salad, in fact I can't
remember the last time. I usually prepare salads early in the day so
there is plenty of time for them to sit in the fridge partially
covered so that the have time to dry.

During warm weather most of my salad items come directly from my
garden... after harvest I wash everything outdoors in a large plastic
tub with a garden hose, really only to rinse away sand and whatever
creepy crawlies float away... any that don't a little extra protein
can't hurt.

I've never bought bagged salad, I've no idea how it tastes, I'll
likely never know.... I can't imagine anyone so friggin' lazy that
they can't deal with whole heads of greens. Just what do yoose think
is in those bags... all veggies that are broken by the tractors during
harvest, partially eaten in the field by critters, stepped on by
wetbcks, etc., those that can't be sold as new. The damaged portions
are cut away, the rest placed in plastic bags and sold at treble the
price of fresh brand new... bagged greens are those that would
otherwise go into the compost heap except for the lazy pinheads with
more dollars than brain cells.

wrote:
> (Steve Pope) wrote:
>
>> I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
>> salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
>> enough time to do it thoroughly.
>
>
> That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
> salad spinner?

Oxo works fine--note that there's a big one and a little one. The mechanism
itself won't go in the dishwasher but all the bits that actually touch the
salad do.

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:12:47 -0500, "J. Clarke"
> wrote:

wrote:
>> (Steve Pope) wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think there are any shortcuts. You need a good
>>> salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
>>> enough time to do it thoroughly.
>>
>>
>> That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
>> salad spinner?
>
>Oxo works fine--note that there's a big one and a little one. The mechanism
>itself won't go in the dishwasher but all the bits that actually touch the
>salad do.


Mine do, large and small one with no problems. And have been doing so
for several years.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974)

On Jan 30, 7:44*am, wrote:
> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
> and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
> bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
> brands.
>
> As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
> health benefits of doing *so, yet who has mild
> ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
> effects.
>
> One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
> even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.
>
> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
> greens and store them? *What equipment would make this
> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

I just put the salad in a collander and rinse.Been doing that for
years. I guess I ate enough dirt as a kid that I've never ben sick.

> wrote in message
...
> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
> and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
> bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
> brands.
>
> As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
> health benefits of doing so, yet who has mild
> ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
> effects.
>
> One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
> even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.
>
> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?



I don't know if this helps all that much but I keep a spray bottle of
vinegar and water by the sink and I spray the salad stuff and rinse and
spin. I also use it to spray stuff that I am going to peel, like bananas ,
potatoes ,avocados , and such.

brooklyn1 > wrote:

>I've never bought bagged salad, I've no idea how it tastes, I'll
>likely never know.... I can't imagine anyone so friggin' lazy

Really? :Lazy huh?

I am a grad student in electrical engineering currently
IN school.... do you think you have the goods to do
that?

and besides I live in an apartment with NO way to plant
a garden..... EVEN if I had the time (which I don't) !!

On Jan 30, 1:42*pm, wrote:
> brooklyn1 > wrote:
> >I've never bought bagged salad, I've no idea how it tastes, I'll
> >likely never know.... I can't imagine anyone so friggin' lazy
>
> Really? :Lazy huh?
>
> I am a grad student in electrical engineering currently
> IN school.... do you think you have the goods to do
> that?
>
> and besides I live in an apartment with NO way to plant
> a garden..... EVEN if I had the time (which I don't) !!

I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
out.

On Jan 30, 11:57*am, wrote:
> (Steve Pope) wrote:
> >I don't think there are any shortcuts. *You need a good
> >salad spinner, you need to wash each leaf and take
> >enough time to do it thoroughly.
>
> That's what I'm asking... what is a GOOD brand/model
> salad spinner?

The OXO is the best. Period.
The lower bowl also makes a dandy large vessel for stuff, so you're
also getting a double use tool.

On Jan 30, 10:44 am, wrote:
> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
> and found a danger of micro-organisms even in the
> bagged ones that say "triple" washed and from name
> brands.
>
> As a person who wants to eat greens, and knows the
> health benefits of doing so, yet who has mild
> ulcerative colitis..... I def want to AVOID any harmful
> effects.
>
> One thing CR said was to wash the greens AGAIN at home
> even if bag claims they have been washed at factory.
>
> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

For a one-person portion of of greens, a colander and a towel. Rinse
them off in the colander, then spread them out on the towel and roll
them up, *gently* pressing on it to remove most of the water without
crushing the greens.

For larger amounts, a salad spinner. Any will work, but I like the
one I have. I have no idea where it came from - It's ancient, labeled
"Per Alimente" and "made in Italy" and what's neat about it is that is
uses a crank rather than a pump-up-and-down mechanism to spin the
internal basket. You can really get that puppy going, which is kind
of fun as well as functional.

For lots of greens, use your washer as Sheldon suggests. To be really
sure you've gotten all the bacteria out, run the full cycle, with some
laundry soap, like Sheldon does. Use only cold water, though, so you
don't wilt the greens. :-)

Good luck with your EE degree and future professional life.

--
Silvar Beitel

Chemo the Clown > wrote:

>I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
>crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
>out.

There is even MORE contamination on UN bagged greens

Check Google for that abt Dr Oz.

You are to NEVER buy any UNpackaged fruit, veggies
cause HUNDREDS of people pick it up and touch, smell,
sniff it than put it back thereby contaminating it MORE
than as it comes from the ground... with even MORE
agents and FECAL (from fingers) contaminants

You know....we have a major biological sciences and
micro-biology dept at my University.... I would think a
Usenet "expert" such as yourself could FIGGER that out

On Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:15:15 -0600, wrote:

>Chemo the Clown > wrote:
>
>>I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
>>crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
>>out.
>
>There is even MORE contamination on UN bagged greens
>
>Check Google for that abt Dr Oz.

Dr. Oz ROCKS!!! What a great show.

Lou

Chemo the Clown wrote:
> wrote:
>> brooklyn1 wrote:
>> >I've never bought bagged salad, I've no idea how it tastes, I'll
>> >likely never know.... I can't imagine anyone so friggin' lazy
>>
>> Really? :Lazy huh?
>>
>> I am a grad student in electrical engineering currently
>> IN school.... do you think you have the goods to do
>> that?
>>
>> and besides I live in an apartment with NO way to plant
>> a garden..... EVEN if I had the time (which I don't) !!
>
>I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
>crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
>out.

The lazy EE grad student hasn't figured how to whack his two inch
fuse! LOL-LOL Notice how he hasn't said a word about having a job to
pay his way through school... his mommy and daddy are paying his
tuition and all his living expenses including his apt rent while he
only has to sit on his pudgy lazy butt.

Lou Decruss > wrote:

>>Check Google for that abt Dr Oz.
>
>Dr. Oz ROCKS!!! What a great show.

Yes... he knows what he speaks of

The only fruit you might buy unwrapped would be bananas
as in effect when peel a banana you are removing the
"wrapping"....and throwing away micro-biological
contaminants

However, never buy unbagged apples, pears, etc

If you do THOROUGHLY was them! Video cameras have been
put in typical supermarkets and it is astounding what
shoppers do when in produce dept.... pick nose then
pick up apple to examine it, etc!

Costco is a good place to buy produce as just abt
everything in bag or container

On 1/30/2010 10:44 AM, wrote:
> CR just did a small article on bagged greens and salads
SNIP
>
> Having said all this, what is the best way to wash
> greens and store them? What equipment would make this
> as easy and painless as possible for a busy lifestyle?

What Does It Take to Clean Fresh Food?
by ALLISON AUBREY
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=14540742

Clean fresh produce.

- Rinse under running water. For extra protection, adding one part
vinegar or lemon juice to the three parts water helps, but you don't
need to use any soap, detergents or special cleaners. It is important to
rinse food even if you are going to peel it.

- Use a scrub brush to remove additional dirt and bacteria.

- Cut out bruised or damaged areas; bacteria can thrive there.

- Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe off more
bacteria......

--
piedmont, The Practical BBQ'r

http://sites.google.com/site/thepracticalbbqr/

"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
| Chemo the Clown wrote:
| > wrote:
| >> brooklyn1 wrote:
| >> >I've never bought bagged salad, I've no idea how it tastes, I'll
| >> >likely never know.... I can't imagine anyone so friggin' lazy
| >>
| >> Really? :Lazy huh?
| >>
| >> I am a grad student in electrical engineering currently
| >> IN school.... do you think you have the goods to do
| >> that?
| >>
| >> and besides I live in an apartment with NO way to plant
| >> a garden..... EVEN if I had the time (which I don't) !!
| >
| >I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
| >crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
| >out.
|
| The lazy EE grad student hasn't figured how to whack his two inch
| fuse! LOL-LOL Notice how he hasn't said a word about having a job to
| pay his way through school... his mommy and daddy are paying his
| tuition and all his living expenses including his apt rent while he
| only has to sit on his pudgy lazy butt.

So what? At least he is not a stupid cretinous ape who can't contribute
to any discussions but to criticize and yelp. Who cares whether he is in
school or how he lives. At least he isn't lying about his home, his
subsistence, his Naval career and his cooking as you do. And he is able
to talk without yammering LOL-LOL or AHHHHHHHhhhhhhh, or all of
those utterly inane pulsings of your 60+ IQ. TFM is right, have you
died yet?

pavane

"Silvar Beitel" > wrote in message
...
............
| For lots of greens, use your washer as Sheldon suggests. To be really
| sure you've gotten all the bacteria out, run the full cycle, with some
| laundry soap, like Sheldon does. Use only cold water, though, so you
| don't wilt the greens. :-)
............

Lovely. But make sure it is Organic laundry soap, as Sheldumb uses.

pavane

Pussy wrote:

>> How do you buy a "head" of spinach?
>
> Frozen.

We're talking about SALADS, Pussy, like the Subject line says. Frozen
spinach is not suitable for salads, except for clueless AOL newbies like
yourself.

Bob

piedmont > wrote in

<snip>

> What Does It Take to Clean Fresh Food?
> by ALLISON AUBREY
> http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=14540742
>
> Clean fresh produce.
>
> - Rinse under running water. For extra protection, adding one
> part vinegar or lemon juice to the three parts water helps,

I've often been curious as to why one would use the vinegar or
lemon juice.
Does it kill bacteria?




> but you don't need to use any soap, detergents or special
> cleaners. It is important to rinse food even if you are going
> to peel it.
>
> - Use a scrub brush to remove additional dirt and bacteria.
>
> - Cut out bruised or damaged areas; bacteria can thrive there.
>
> - Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe off
> more bacteria......
>

sandi > wrote:

>piedmont > wrote in

>> - Rinse under running water. For extra protection, adding one
>> part vinegar or lemon juice to the three parts water helps,

>I've often been curious as to why one would use the vinegar or
>lemon juice.
>Does it kill bacteria?

Sounds like it would wilt the produce to me.

Steve

On Jan 30, 4:15*pm, wrote:
> Chemo the Clown > wrote:
>
> >I think he meant to go out and buy the salad stuff and not the bag-o-
> >crap salad. I would have thought that a grad student could figger that
> >out.
>
> There is even MORE contamination on UN bagged greens
>
> Check Google for that abt Dr Oz.
>
> You are to NEVER buy any UNpackaged fruit, veggies
> cause HUNDREDS of people pick it up and touch, smell,
> sniff it than put it back thereby contaminating it MORE
> than as it comes from the ground... with even MORE
> agents and FECAL (from fingers) contaminants
>
> You know....we have a major biological sciences and
> micro-biology dept at my University.... I would think a
> Usenet "expert" such as yourself could FIGGER that out

Ya gotta wonder how people have survived for so long on supermarket
food. And who the hell are you to tell me to NEVER buy something?
Besides...it's just common sense to wash produce. Now look out...the
sky is falling, the sky is falling!!

On Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:58:58 +0000 (UTC),
(Steve Pope) wrote:

>sandi > wrote:
>
>>piedmont > wrote in
>
>>> - Rinse under running water. For extra protection, adding one
>>> part vinegar or lemon juice to the three parts water helps,
>
>>I've often been curious as to why one would use the vinegar or
>>lemon juice.
>>Does it kill bacteria?
>
>Sounds like it would wilt the produce to me.

Wilts a salad quite tastily..
--
Mr.E

Lou Decruss wrote:
> Dr. Oz ROCKS!!! What a great show.
>
> Lou

Dr. Oz talked about high blood pressure and salt intake, and his
demonstrations almost scared the pants off me. I have been watching my
salt intake since then.


Becca