[log in to unmask] wrote:
>>> I wrote- Just in case you think organic is safe, a recent article in Science News
>>> found that  E coli can transfer into plant tissues so washing will not remove it. 
>>>       
>
>
>   All food should be washed with something like viniger/hydrogen peroxide mixture.  It will drastically reduce/kill E. coli and other bacteria (http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-08022001-104536/unrestricted/JohnSchurman.pdf)
>
> This gives you an alternative to cooking to eliminate the bacteria risk.  One should eat some vegetables in the raw form to get most of the nutritional benefit.
To make it clear, the finding was that E coli is in the plant tissue, 
not on it, so washing does nothing. The problem is that organic 
fertilizers (manures) can have E coli if not properly cured. Also, 
hedgerows and strips of grasses and other vegetation harbor snails and 
the like which also can spread it. Add varmints, and you compound the 
problem. So many organic practices have a higher probability of 
spreading E coli than commercial practices.

I do not doubt that some of the measure were taken just because it fits 
commercial practices, including large scale "organic" farms. Many of the 
large organic farms in Cal are both organic and not organic, such as the 
spinach that was between both worlds. Grown on a once traditional field 
which was in the process of becoming organic.

It is nice to see posts on pesticides and GMO on this list since we 
seldom talk about them, and, when we do, the discussion is always so 
cordial.

I just wonder where we are heading in this 100% safe, risk free culture. 
More and more studies show that all that crud out there in our 
environment can help, especially in things like asthma, digestive 
problems and even diseases if children are exposed to them early in 
life. Problem is we want an aseptic world where no dirt enters our 
child's mouth. Something as bad as intestinal worms has been shown to 
help with several diseases since they trigger the immune system to work 
properly. Many autoimmune diseases are not found in the third world 
where sanitation is poor because the immune system is trained properly.

Let's not forget bee stings which kick up the immune system, helps with 
MS and arthritis, yet you can get sued if your bees take it out on the 
1-800-SUE THEM crowd.

Bill Truesdell (1-800-BEE NICE)
Bath, Maine

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