g'day lander,

well i should imagine not through their root system into the flesh of the crop, but other maybe just maybe being splashed on the leaves of leaf vegetable that are not washed or cooked before eating and like wise with tomatoes etc.,. not washing before eating. then the product can be corrupted where it is processed.

some countries have things like salad green being processes then imported that's a week link.

and not washing hands after gardening is another step.

we mulch heavily and have never had any issues eating what we grow.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: lens garden page

The disease pathogens, Salmonela, E-Coli, Listeria, etc. are passed by plants to humans by attaching to the plant. On the leaves of the leafy vegetables, lettuces, etc. and on the roots of root crops. In food processing plants those disease pathogens have been found in the water used to wash the produce as it is processed.
The Center for Disease Control thinks food poisoning from these disease pathogens is far more prevelant then is reported because many people do not report the 24, 48, or 72 hour "flu" and few doctors have the, fairly expensive, tests done necessary to confirm the presence of the pathogens.
Keep in mind that most of the reported instances of food poisoning in the last couple of years have been sourced to packaged spinach and lettuce that supposedly was washed well before being packaged.
As len stated washing your hands, properly and frequently is essential. Any soap with water for a minimum of 20 seconds. Was your food also, even fruits. Cook your food properly, since heat does kill those pathogens.

Kimmsr, do you have any cooked lettuce recipes?

Lettuce Plants Internalize Bacteria

Lloyd

I don't doubt the results from the lettuce study (bacteria present), but I have doubts about the interpretation without knowing the protocol for sampling. Bacteria in water don't even pass through sandy soil readily. It is hard to imagine how they would pass through cell membranes. Maybe it was splash derived and inside the stomata. I hope someone followed up. This would be astounding and troubling if accurately interpreted.

Beats me, I tried reading the full text but it is waaayyyy beyond my intelligence level. Just don't like to see posts saying it isn't possible if it might be possible. I would rather post the study and let people make their own decisions.

Lloyd

Yes when I read the posts I was like wow thats got me coming and going :(

rlv4, Oh I have the cooked lettuce recipes for you.

1. First off any soup you cook, lettuce will add a flavor layer that hands down can't be met. Add in bowl, cover and let sit 5 minutes. Many Kale soups, do a search. They are great.

2.Top Roman any flavor but my family likes the oriental the best.

Boil 2 cups of water and add noodles for 1 minute
Add flavor pack and 2 cups of washed greens ( I wash them in warm water). Cook for 2 more minutes. You are just wilting the greens
My family likes Nappa Cabbage and Arugula (Rocket) the best in this dish

3.Any rice
You can use a box rice. 1 cup shredded and washed. I like to make homemade rice. Spanish rice ( Allrecipes) or beef and lettuce fried rice (Cooking with the Single Guy).

3.The best site I go to for veggie recipes is Food Network UK. I looked today for cooked lettuce recipes and they had a few. They have all the good veggie recipes. Look at the smoothies, I have made all 10 and they are great.

Lander

Thanks Lander, I'm definitely trying the soup thing. Maybe I can sneak some past the kids, gotta be better than their salads drowning in ranch dressing!

Here's what we do with excess Romaine heads, strip down a few of the wrapper leaves, drip olive oil on it, sprinkle your favorite seasonings on and then throw it on the grill. The head cooks way down, tastes a bit like what has been on the grill and is delicious!

As for E. Coli, it is a human borne pathogen transmitted from humans via their feces. Needless to say, better hope everybody up the food chain from your grocery store to the farm it's produce came from was at least wearing proper gloves when handling it in addition to properly washing their hands. Yes, E. Coli can be killed through proper cooking temperatures and periods.

There are different strains of e-coli, not all are dangerous. E-coli can be present in many animals not just humans.

Lloyd

Here is a link that might be useful: Escherichia coli

cooking lettuce

Here is a link that might be useful: cooking lettuce

While it is possible for any plant to uptake a disease pathogen the most common method of disease transmission still is on the surface. However, given that it is possible is there any better reason to properly compost all manures prior to putting them in, or on, your soil to limit your exposure?

Lloyd: you link indicates that E.coli lives in our guts, oh no, now my gut is starting to ache just knowing that ;)

Think a fifth of bourbon would send'm all packing?

Not sure michael, I'm scared to admit that I've never had bourbon (fifth or otherwise). But I can speak with authority that good {{gwi:134563}} has had no detrimental effect on them. ;-)

Lloyd

Lloyd, I forgot you're north of the border when mentioning bourbon, bottoms up!