The UK-based Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has hit back at recent claims that an increase in the consumption of prepared salads could increase the risk of food poisoning.
At the recent Food Micro 2008 conference in Aberdeen, Scotland, professor Ged Frankel from Imperial College in London said that some prepared salads may be unsafe to eat despite being labelled 'pre-washed'.
'In their efforts to eat healthily, people are eating more salad products, choosing to buy organic brands and preferring the ease of 'pre-washed' bagged salads from supermarkets, than ever before,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'All these factors, together with the globalisation of the food market, mean that cases of Salmonella and E.coli poisoning caused by salads are likely to rise in the future.'
However, the FPC, the trade association for the UK's fresh produce sector, has said that the risk of food poisoning is minimal.
'Recent media articles on health risks in salad packs fail to put into perspective the minute risk of contamination in pre-packed salads,' said the FPC's communications manager Sian Thomas. 'Food poisoning outbreaks associated with the consumption of prepared salads are extremely rare in the UK.'
And Ms Thomas added that, rather than discourage consumption of fresh produce, it should be championed for its health benefits.
'We should be encouraging people to eat more fresh fruit and vegetables,' she said. 'The risk of ill-health associated with poor diets and rising obesity levels far outweighs the minute risk of contamination of pre-packed salads.'
The FPC is currently in the process of reveiwing and updating its Food Hygiene Guide, which is due to replace the current Industry Guide to Good Hygiene Practice upon completion.
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