Plastic Lettuce Mystery Solved

This recent You Tube video posted below demonstrates a woman removing what appears to be a film of plastic from organic romaine lettuce leaves. Nasty. But what is being peeled off is not plastic. It’s called an ‘epidermal peel’.

At this time of year, almost all lettuce is grown in the southwest United States. While the days there are sunny and warm, the nights can get cold, often dipping below freezing. As a result, the water in the lettuce’s cell walls freezes. When the ice crystals form they puncture the cell walls, killing off the cells. The affected lettuce then develops a peeled appearance much like chapped skin. In the video posted below, an organic urban farmer in California demonstrates the epidermal peel her greens are experiencing. Epidermal peel might not look that great, but it’s safe to eat.

But even as the great lettuce mystery has now been solved, as consumers, it's very important to be aware that it is now common practice to coat fresh fruits and veges – including organic varieties with what the food industry calls edible plastic coatings. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) involves controlling or modifying the atmosphere surrounding the product to slow spoilage by coating the food with an ‘edible film’ to increase shelf life.

According to the FDA, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), which includes so-called "smart" and "edible" types of packaging has made great strides over the past decade or so, and has "greatly improved the quality and shelf-stability" of otherwise highly perishable produce.

While that may sound promising to industrial food types, to consumers these types of coatings do present a very real potential health hazard. The FDA openly admits that edible coatings have been associated with a number of problems including anaerobic fermentation of apples and bananas, rapid weight loss of tomatoes, rapid decay in cucumbers as well as the potential for growth of food borne pathogens.

While the verdict is still out on edible coatings, if you have a choice, why would you opt to eat fruits and vegetables that have been coated in a rubbery film? Buy local when possible and don't forget to ask your server at your favorite eatery if the salad bar contains vegetables that have been plasticized. If buying local is not an option, ask your grocer if the fruits and vegetables have a coating applied. Even fresh, non-coated/non-treated vegetables that have been conventionally grown will likely be healthier for you than wilted organic veggies from across the world, coated with plasticizers to keep them looking fresh.