Purdue Study: Listeria Can Thrive Inside Lettuce Tissue
According to a new study conducted by Purdue University, Listeria monocytogenes can still thrive inside the tissue of romaine lettuce. This means that conventional sanitizing methods--which only treat produce externally--may not be enough to completely kill the deadly pathogen.
The study was led by Purdue’s Department of Food Science's clinical assistant professor Amanda Deering. Deering, along with a team of researchers, began investigating the internalization of Listeria in romaine lettuce after a 2016 foodborne illness outbreak linked to packaged salads.