What is the effectiveness of washing lettuces in terms of removing harmful microbes?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Consider the question about how effective washing lettuce is at removing harmful microbes.

Option A: Washing completely eliminates all harmful microbes. This is overly optimistic. In real-world scenarios, a thorough wash can reduce microbial load significantly but not eradicate every organism, due to microbes protected by crevices, biofilms, or being embedded within the lettuce leaves.

Option B: Washing removes most microbes but not all. This statement aligns with scientific understanding: washing with water (and possibly mild sanitizer) typically reduces the number of microbes substantially, yet some survive and may remain attached in microscopic spots or within tiny folds in the produce. This captures the balance between effectiveness and limitation.

Option C: Washing has no effect on microbes. This is incorrect because washing does, in fact, reduce microbial presence; at minimum it removes surface microbes and can decrease contamination, even if not completely eliminating it.

Option D: Washing increases the presence of harmful microbes. This is misleading and generally false in typical consumer practices; unless cross-contamination occurs during washing, washing itself does not increase microbial load and is not intended to introduce more pathogens.

In summary, the most accurate characterization is that washing lettuce reduces microbial load substantially but does not achieve complete sterilization, which makes option B the correct characterization among the choices, while A, C, and D misstate the effect in fundamental ways.

What is the effectiveness of washing lettuces in terms of removing harmful microbes?

View Explanation

Log in for full answers

Similar Questions

Which of the following is the suggested recommendation to keep consumption of pesticide residues down to a minimum?

When selecting a food delivery system, which of the following factors is most important in relation to the microbial quality of delivered food?

The HACCP approach began with:

Which of the following is the best way to tell whether food from a bulging can is safe to eat?

It is essential that fermented and finished wine is handled in a sterile food grade facility and kept away from bacteria that causes illness in mankind?

Why do we cook? (main reason)

The Danger Zone refers to

More Practical Tools for International Students

Exam Browser Assistant

Stylized Writing Assistant

Plagiarism Checker Assistant

Citation Assistant

In-Class Translation Assistant

Class Notes Assistant

Quiz Search Assistant

Past Exam Questions by School

Smart Practice Assistant

Adaptive Practice

Making Your Study Simpler