Why Washing
Lettuce Won’t
Remove E. Coli Risk
With the recent E. coli
outbreak in the US
and Canada, experts
warn that washing
lettuce won’t remove
the potentially deadly
bacteria. Even scrubbing
the lettuce with baking
soda and vinegar will not
work. That’s because the
bacteria can get trapped in
“microscopic crevices,” says
James Rogers, director of Food
Safety and Research at Consumer
Reports. Even pre-washed lettuce that’s been triple
washed isn’t safe for consumption. Thinking about
cooking your greens? Wilting lettuce can’t guarantee all
the bacteria is gone. It takes just 10 E. coli cells for a person
to get sick and, by way of comparison, a pinhead can hold 10
billion cells. And organic lettuce doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free
from potential contamination. E. coli symptoms include stomach
cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. Some cases can be life-
threatening. An outbreak in April last year, also from Romaine
lettuce, killed five people and infected 210 others across 36 states.
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Portland Named Best Foodie City in US
Thanks in part to its abundance of farmers markets and community-
supported agriculture programs, Portland, OR, earned the title
of Best Foodie City in a report from personal finance website
Wallethub. Finishing second was San Francisco, followed by Miami.
“Portland ranked first for several metrics including accessibility
and affordability of high-quality restaurants and the lack of sales,
food, and restaurant taxes. Portland also has the highest number
of food trucks, craft breweries, wine bars,
and coffee and tea shops per capita,”
says Jill Gonzalez, an analyst with
WalletHub. Portland boasts the
fifth largest number of food
markets and agriculture
programs supported by
the community. Another
factor in the results
was the number
of employees
in agricultural
activities. That’s
something
Gonzalez notes
can be improved in
many cities. “Local
authorities could
support agriculture
more and maybe
even offer incentives
to those who wish
to go into farming
or similar activities,”
Gonzalez says.
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Maximum Yield
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