Health expert Manuel Viso on bagged salads: "From now on, you have to wash them."
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Healthcare professional Manuel Viso has called for extreme caution with bagged salads following the results of a recent study. The research, carried out in ten European countries—including Spain—found that one in every 25 bags analyzed contained the parasite Toxoplasma gondii . This microorganism is responsible for toxoplasmosis , an infection that can go unnoticed in people in good health but can become dangerous in those with a weakened immune system.
According to Viso, toxoplasmosis can cause very serious problems when it affects pregnant women or immunosuppressed individuals. In the case of fetuses, the parasite can cause malformations and severe neurological damage . Therefore, she insists on not trusting labels that indicate "ready to eat." In her opinion, it is advisable to change habits and apply stricter hygiene measures when handling this type of fresh food.
@manuelvisothedoc 🔴🔴 BAG SALADS ARE WASHED!! 👨⚕️A study conducted in ten European countries has detected Toxoplasma gondii in bagged salads, reinforcing the importance of always washing fresh vegetables, even if the packaging indicates that they are "ready to eat." 👨⚕️Published in Eurosurveillance, the study warns that these salads could be a route of transmission of toxoplasmosis. Link 👉 https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2025.30.22.2400594 👨⚕️Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is usually transmitted by eating raw meat or poorly washed fruits and vegetables, or by contact with the feces of infected cats. 👨⚕️In healthy people, it most often goes unnoticed or causes mild flu-like symptoms (fever, muscle pain, swollen glands, and fatigue), although it can remain latent in the body. 👨⚕️However, in pregnant women who acquire the infection for the first time during pregnancy, the parasite can cross the placenta and affect the fetus, causing everything from miscarriages to serious neurological or visual sequelae in the baby. 👨⚕️In immunosuppressed people (such as patients with HIV or on immunosuppressive treatments), toxoplasmosis can reactivate and cause severe forms, such as encephalitis, pneumonia or eye involvement, representing a life-threatening risk if not treated in time. #manuelvisothedoc #salad #bagsalad #toxoplasmosis #toxoplasmagondii #pregnancy ♬ original sound - MANUELVISOTHEDOC
Many people turn to water, vinegar, or even lemon juice, thinking they're enough to disinfect raw vegetables. However, Viso clarifies that none of these methods eliminate Toxoplasma gondii . Rubbing lettuce or lamb's lettuce leaves doesn't work either. Conventional cleaning isn't effective against this type of parasite, so a specific method is necessary to ensure food safety .
The only truly effective way to disinfect bagged salads, according to the expert, is to use food-grade bleach . In its normal form, just add one tablespoon per liter of water ; if it's concentrated, five drops will be enough . The leaves should be left in this mixture for a few minutes and then rinsed with plenty of water. Viso recommends adopting this practice regularly, especially in homes with vulnerable people: "If you haven't been doing it until now, it's time to start."
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