lettuce can be dangerous, but do not panic
The planet is inhabited with many dangerous bacteria and one of the most well known are Salmonella (Salmonella). They penetrate into the organisms of people and animals through food, cover the intestinal wall and begin to excrete toxic substances. Eventually developing the disease Salmonella, which is accompanied by pain in the abdomen, fever, weakness, vomiting, and other unpleasant symptoms. With proper treatment, the disease recedes after about a week, but there are cases that ended in death. To avoid being infected with these bacteria used to be fairly carefully wash products. But now Salmonella have become smarter and have learned to hide in the microscopic folds of the plants. According to scientists, water jet, it wouldn't wash off.
About the new ability of pathogenic bacteria told research , with reference to scientific . Scientists from the U.S. state of Delaware conducted several experiments in which we checked how pathogenic bacteria interact with different parts of plants. The experiment involved three types of bacteria:
Observe with Listeria and Escherichia coli it was pretty boring, but Salmonella scientists are very surprised. It turned out that at some point in time, they learn to penetrate into the stomata — small openings on the leaf surface through which plants breathe and evaporate moisture. Length of stomata reaches of 0.06 mm, so tiny bacteria may firmly sit in them and hide from water and UV rays. It turns out that to clean the leaves of edible plants from dangerous bacteria almost impossible.
Stoma of tomato leaf under the microscope
Indeed, scientists still have no idea how to outwit . But the fact that American scientists have discovered a new way bacteria to penetrate the organisms of humans and animals — that's great news. Now researchers know in what direction they carry out scientific research and to reduce the number of cases of salmonellosis. But if the bacteria become so cunning, the incidence may well increase dramatically.
Salmonella was named after the American veterinarian Daniel salmon
But what to do? If you believe the scientific literature, the eye of the contamination of plants with Salmonella bacteria can be detected is. Potentially dangerous to eat lettuce and other greens also do not really want. Clean and disinfect them too it makes no sense — the conclusion, at least you can come to after reading the results of scientific work. The situation seems complicated but, in fact, we are simply it is important to remain calm and follow the recommendations.
And so, at the moment scientists know that plants can become infected with Salmonella only near farms and pastures. That is, if the same salad is grown on a garden bed away from the cattle, afraid of nothing. But the plants near the places where they feed the animals, it is better simply to avoid it — perhaps in their leaves hid the very tricky bacteria.
Dangerous bacteria can dwell in any food, so food it is important to wash, handle and so on — is very important.
If, however, Salmonella still managed to get into the body, the symptoms of salmonellosis are felt within 12-24 hours. As a rule, the symptoms are very: a person has a stomach ache, fever, buzzing head and overall it feels awful. But sometimes the disease is asymptomatic, but the risk to infect disease other people. In the event of illness you should immediately consult a doctor, cure this unpleasant disease there is a cure happens in about a week.
But that's not necessary to think that now the plants does not make sense to wash. They need to be and on this topic my colleague Love Sokovikova that should be read by every person of our planet. The fact that in addition to Salmonella, the leaves can live and other dangerous bacteria and contain toxic substances. And Yes, in addition to products, you need to regularly wash hands, especially in our difficult times.
