Salad: to wash or not to wash?

London - Washing salad is a good idea, but there’s no point being obsessive, as it won’t make a substantial difference, says leading microbiologist Professor Hugh Pennington.

“Bugs are quite good at getting into the pores of the surface of a plant, so washing is never 100 percent effective,” he explains.

“It’s more important to buy from someone you trust. Supermarkets do pay attention, perhaps more so than the farmer down the road, following strict guidelines about the amount of time left between manuring a field and harvesting the crop.

“It would be bad for the brand otherwise. Wash off any soil. However, most bagged salads look pretty clean because they have been carefully processed.”

Food poisoning from salads is rare, he adds.

“Growers take a lot of precautions to avoid manure getting on to the plant, but if there’s been heavy rain, water can go to places it’s not supposed to and carry bugs with it.”

There’s no strict rule about how long you should wash salad for, he adds, but a quick rinse, making sure water reaches all the surfaces, should suffice. - Daily Mail