Advice to wash bagged leafy salads scrapped
Consumers will no longer be advised to re-wash ready to eat (RTE) leafy salads sold in supermarkets, following a change in expert advice supplied to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) last week agreed that, given the treatment of these salads prior to packaging, subsequent washing by consumers was unnecessary.
Presenting a report to the ACMSF, FSA scientist Dr Linden Jack said: “We think washing by the consumer is unlikely to add anything to this.”
However, committee members wanted assurance that consumers would be able to clearly identify the difference between produce that is RTE and that which is ready to cook. They also received assurance from ACMSF committee member and Sainsbury’s chief microbiologist Alec Kyriakides that the standards of processing by overseas suppliers of RTE leafy salads matched UK standards.
The ACMSF further agreed to examine the findings of new research currently being undertaken by the Health Protection Agency in this area, should it prove necessary to review its decision.
The Chilled Food Association (CFA), which had lobbied hard for this change, welcomed the move. CFA general secretary Kaarin Goodburn said: ”We are pleased that FSA advice is to be changed. Safety is the CFA members’ first priority and our members operate to the highest standards as laid down in our guidelines, which are mandatory for all our members.”
In reaching its decision, the ACMSF noted the good safety record of RTE leafy salads. It accounted for the industry’s implementation of strict safety controls, ensured from the farm onwards, but primarily in the field to prevent cross-contamination at source.
Washing mainly removes soil which harbours micro-organisms and re-washing professionally washed leaf does not remove appreciably more micro-organisms, the ACMSF heard.
Goodburn added: “We call on the FSA to support the introduction of such standards throughout the fresh produce supply base, including herbs and wholesale.”
