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Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Letting the lettuce out of the bag

Scotsman.com News - Features - Hot on the trail of summer:

"But have you ever wondered how those bags of verdant leaves stay looking so fresh? Modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) involves the alarming process of washing salad leaves in chlorine, which are then dried and sorted into plastic bags, where the oxygen levels are reduced from 21 per cent to 3 per cent and the carbon dioxide correspondingly raised. This delays visible deterioration and discolouring and so prolongs the shelf life while depleting the little nutritional value the leaves had to start with. Not so appealing now, are they?"

YUUUUCK!!! I am never ever going to buy bagged salad again. I thought it was bad enough when they were going to irradiate food to make it last longer and us glow in the dark. I usually go to the markets and get my vegies and I usually use the vegie shop round the corner, who bring in local produce, when I can't. I have bought bagged salad to see what it was like and when it has been reduced in price. It is an exorbitant price considering what you pay when you buy the DIY salad. Now I know it's chlorine rinsed and oxygen deprived ...no way..ever. It's about fresh food, people.

Chlorinated lettuce anyone?

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