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The Conversation: When you hear the term “food poisoning” it usually conjures up images of hurried journeys to the toilet and rueful reviews while there of what was eaten the previous day. Most of the blame might be levelled at your meat main course – was the chicken undercooked or the steak too rare?

However, reports from the food safety community are increasingly suggesting we need to look elsewhere for the source of food poisoning outbreaks. Increasingly, suspicions are now that the side salad that garnished your suspect meat course may have contained more than just dietary fibre.

Research is showing that green leafy salads containing lettuce and spinach are subject to colonisation by food poisoning bacteria, most frequently Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.

Read the full article at The Conversation website