Sink salad has become a staple in modern refrigerators. But are these ready-made disadvantaged leaves in terms of food and what about the risks of food poisoning? The potential damage was emphasized last summer when more than 280 people were knocked down by a virulent form of E.coli linked to contaminated lettuce grown in the UK. Here experts offer their advice …
Does it count as a five-day day?
“Salads in the pockets are an easy way to get one of your five-per-day without the faff of washing and heels,” says nutritionist Rob Hobson, author of your family’s life.
But you need enough: many people assume that a handful of leaves counts like a part, but for this you need 80 g what about a grain bowl is full (and slightly more than a standard 140 g bag), adds Thornton-Wood, a dietician based in Guildford.
And not all salad leaves have been drawn up.
“In general, the darker the magazine, the richer it is in vitamins and minerals, although they all contain a good amount of fiber,” says Clare.
Kale wins for nutritional density, with vitamin C twice (important for immunity) and vitamin K (for blood and bones) such as broccoli per part.
Spinach also scores strong and is especially rich in vitamins A, C, K, folic acid (for energy) and potassium and magnesium – of vital importance for hydration and bone health respectively.
Two good handful of raw baby spinach – the type used most in bags of salads – also offers 300 mcg vitamin K, more than double your recommended daily amount.
In the UK, a bag of salad is usually washed in water with diluted chlorine, which helps to kill insects that can cause food poisoning, but outbreaks can still happen
Rocket and watercress are great sources of magnesium, plus vitamins A, C and folic acid.
As you would expect, iceberg lettuce, with 96 percent water, is the least nutritious salad green, but is not without the benefits – because ‘eating hydrating fruit and vegetables such as lettuce can help increase your liquid intake, which is especially useful to prevent dehydration in warm weather, “explains Rob Hobson.
‘On the other hand, the heels and packing of leaves will destroy part of their B vitamins and vitamin C content, especially once the bag is opened, by oxidation that occurs when nutrients are exposed to air.
“And although handy, bags of salads can be a more expensive way to eat lettuce and other salad leaves compared to buying them.”
For example, a bag of 140 g M&S Italian baby magazine salad costs £ 2.30, compared to only 90 p for a 550 g M&S entire iceberg lettuce.
What about food poisoning?
In the UK, a bag of salad is usually washed in water that contains diluted chlorine, which helps to kill insects that can cause food poisoning.
But while outbreaks of food poisoning from bags of salads in the UK are rare, they do happen – because leaves can be contaminated at every step of the production process, such as contact with bacteria in the soil or water, on the hands of the plicker or out of equipment.
A report from 2022 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that Salmonella and other bacteria were still ‘an important problem’ in some ready-made salads.
Clare Thornton-Wood, a dietician, says that ‘in general, the darker the magazine, the richer it is in vitamins and minerals, although they all contain a good amount of fiber’
Salmonella is particularly skilled in entering into salad leaves using their flagella-small propeller-like poor they are difficult to wash, according to a study by Imperial College London in 2008.
Even the pre -washed spinach retained 90 percent of its bacteria, which increased the risk of food poisoning if they are consumed without further washing, researchers reported at the University of California in 2015. It seems that the moist environment of a bag of salad, coupled with nutrients created for bacteria, bacteria.
So do you have to give pre -washed leaves an extra wash? The opinion of experts differs.
In 2008, the British Agency of Food Standards changed its adviser to be said was necessary, it now states that washing pre-washed salad does not add any benefit.
Nevertheless, the NHS recommends to wash all pre -washed salads and vegetables before use.
Slim DinNdale, a microbiologist and food safety consultant based in Norwich, also penetrates caution: ‘Rarely prepared salads can be contaminated with food permit bacteria during the production process, which can quickly multiply in the sealed bag because of the heat. This is why there have been some cases of salads that make people very ill, regardless of the date of use. ‘
His advice? “It is wise to wash pre -washed leaves well at home.”
Clare Thornton-Wood agrees: ‘Even if the package says that I am washed and ready, I would always give it an extra coil.
“Studies show that bacteria can quickly spread to the entire package on just one sheet.” (She doesn’t buy a salad in the bag, but grows her own.)
For a thorough clean, place the leaves in a bowl with quiet water, let them soak for five minutes and then rinse in a colander under cold running water for two minutes to remove any remaining soil or microbes, she says.
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