In article ,
Derek Turner wrote:

I speak as a very amateur gardener but as an ex-professional
bacteriologist who dealt with salmonella every day of my working life.

5. The few live bacteria that might get onto salad leaves are very
unlikely to infect you, especially if you are a healthy adult. It
takes quite a high dose to make you ill. Take more care with, infants,
the elderley and anyone whose immune system is compromised.

I wish that you could have some influence on our infernal government
and media :-(

Even excluding the fact that Chief Bullshit Advisers are paid to
prostitute their scientific reputations, the coverage leads even
many educated people to believe that Salmonella should be considered
as comparable to typhoid or even cholera. And that E. coli (generally,
not just 0157) is a disease :-(

And recent research indicates that preventing children (not infants)
from being exposed to minor infections like Salmonella can lead to more
serious problems in later life. This isn't yet proven, as far as I
know, but the evidence seems fairly convincing.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.