Chloe Zhang
A viral video from 2018 showed a woman peeling what appeared to be a thin plastic film from a head of romaine lettuce. The video sparked concern among viewers, who associated it with an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce that had caused at least 80 infections and over 40 hospitalizations. However, experts have confirmed that the translucent parchment seen in the video is not plastic but rather the epidermal or skin layer of the lettuce, which forms in response to cold temperatures. This natural process, similar to frostbite or sunburn in human skin, can occur when lettuce is grown or transported in freezing conditions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic film on lettuce | The film is a natural substance that forms when the lettuce is grown in colder temperatures. It is not a plastic coating. |
| Evidence | A viral video from 2018 showed a woman peeling off a plastic-like film from lettuce leaves, causing a buzz online. |
| Source of evidence | The video was uploaded to Facebook by Karen Martin Collins. |
| Reason for the video going viral | The video gained traction due to an E. coli outbreak affecting lettuce at the time, which caused at least 80 infections and more than 40 hospitalizations. |
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What You'll Learn
- Viral videos show people peeling plastic-like film off lettuce leaves
- The substance is a natural response to cold temperatures
- The film is not plastic but the epidermal or skin layer of the lettuce
- The lettuce in the videos may have been frostbitten
- The plastic-like film is not caused by external factors
Viral videos show people peeling plastic-like film off lettuce leaves
Several viral videos have surfaced online, showing people peeling a plastic-like film off lettuce leaves. The videos, which have garnered thousands of views and shares, claim that the lettuce sold in stores is contaminated with plastic. This has sparked concerns, especially in light of previous scares with E. coli-contaminated lettuce that affected people across multiple states.
In one such video, a woman demonstrates how she can peel off a thin, plastic-like layer from romaine lettuce leaves. The lettuce in question is often purchased from stores, and the individuals in the videos allege that this plastic coating is a sign of toxicity in store-bought produce. However, experts have refuted these claims, asserting that the translucent parchment is not plastic but rather a natural phenomenon called epidermal peeling or frostbite in lettuce.
Lettuce, particularly romaine lettuce, is primarily grown in Arizona, where freezing temperatures can occur during the winter season. When exposed to these sub-freezing conditions, the outer skin of the lettuce experiences a type of freeze burn, resulting in blistering. This blistering forms a protective layer on the leaves, similar to a skin blister, which can later be peeled off. The USDA and lettuce growers have confirmed that this process is the lettuce's natural response to cold temperatures, akin to how human skin gets sunburnt.
While the appearance of this plastic-like film on lettuce leaves may be concerning to consumers, it is important to note that it is a harmless side effect of cold weather. The phenomenon, known as epidermal peeling, has been recognised by agricultural experts and is not caused by any external applications to the product. This peeling is considered a "purely cosmetic defect" and does not impact the lettuce's flavour or edibility.
Although the videos of people peeling plastic-like film off lettuce leaves are not indicative of plastic contamination, they do highlight the public's growing concerns about the safety and potential toxicity of store-bought produce. It is essential to rely on verified sources and scientific explanations when addressing such concerns, rather than solely relying on viral videos that may not always present the full context or accurate information.
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The substance is a natural response to cold temperatures
A video has gone viral on social media, showing a woman peeling off a plastic-like film from a lettuce. This has caused a buzz online, with many people associating it with the recent romaine lettuce E. coli scare. However, experts have confirmed that this translucent parchment is not plastic.
The film is a natural response to cold temperatures. It is the lettuce's ""epidermal or skin layer", which forms when the lettuce encounters freezing temperatures. This is similar to how human skin gets a sunburn; the lettuce gets frostbite. In the winter season, romaine lettuce grown in Yuma, Arizona, can experience sub-freezing nights with temperatures reaching the low twenties. This causes the outer skin of the lettuce to develop a type of "freeze burn", resulting in a blistering of the skin.
Markon's Head of Quality Assurance, John Galvez, showed a video of frost-bitten lettuce, explaining that the freezing temperatures caused an epidermal blister to form on the inner and outer parts of the leaf. Warmer weather then caused the blister to expand, open up, and discolour. The USDA notes that this can also happen when the produce is transported if the leaves get too cold during transit from California or Arizona (where 98% of US lettuce is grown).
Therefore, the substance is a natural response to cold temperatures and is not a plastic coating applied externally to the lettuce.
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The film is not plastic but the epidermal or skin layer of the lettuce
There have been several viral videos circulating online that show people peeling off a plastic-like film from the leaves of romaine lettuce. These videos have sparked concern among viewers about the safety of store-bought lettuce and whether it is contaminated with plastic. However, experts have confirmed that the translucent parchment seen in these videos is not plastic.
The film is actually the epidermal or skin layer of the lettuce, which forms in response to cold temperatures. This occurs during the winter season when romaine lettuce is grown in regions like Yuma, Arizona, where sub-freezing nights are common. The outer skin of the lettuce experiences a type of "freeze burn", resulting in blistering similar to what happens to human skin when it is burned.
The Head of Quality Assurance at lettuce grower Markon, John Galvez, explained this phenomenon in a video back in January. He stated that the freezing temperatures caused an epidermal blister to form on the inner and outer parts of the leaf. When warmer weather arrived, the blister expanded, opened up, and discolored, creating the translucent film observed in the videos.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) also confirmed that this film is a natural response of the lettuce to cold temperatures during transportation. When lettuce is shipped from regions with colder climates, such as California or Arizona, the leaves can develop this filmy white epidermis if they get too cold. This natural process helps protect the lettuce from the freezing temperatures, but it is not plastic or any other externally applied substance.
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The lettuce in the videos may have been frostbitten
Several videos circulating online show people peeling off a plastic-like film from the leaves of Romaine lettuce. In one such video, a woman claims that the lettuce sold at stores is contaminated. These videos have gone viral, with hundreds of thousands of views and shares, especially in the wake of the E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce that caused at least 80 infections and more than 40 hospitalizations.
However, the claim that the substance in the videos is plastic is false. The translucent film seen in the videos is a natural response of the lettuce to cold temperatures. It is similar to how human skin gets sunburnt or frostbitten. This phenomenon is known as frostbite in lettuce and occurs when the lettuce encounters freezing temperatures during growth or transportation. Markon, a lettuce grower, demonstrated this by showing a video of frost-bitten lettuce, explaining that freezing temperatures cause an epidermal blister to form on the inner and outer parts of the leaf. As the temperature rises, the blister expands, opens up, and discolors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Markon confirmed that the film is not plastic but rather the lettuce's epidermis. The formation of this filmy white epidermis can also occur during transportation if the lettuce gets too cold while being shipped from states like California or Arizona, which produce 98% of the U.S. lettuce supply. This natural process is unrelated to any contamination issues, such as the recent E. coli scare.
While the substance in the videos is not plastic, it is worth noting that some produce, including lettuce, is sometimes treated with edible films or coatings to extend its shelf life. These coatings can be made from waxy liquids, edible oils, or other natural substances like cellulose or lignin. However, these treatments are typically applied to fresh-cut fruits and vegetables to slow down the aging process and are not the same as the plastic-like film seen in the viral videos.
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The plastic-like film is not caused by external factors
There have been several viral videos circulating online that show people pulling off a plastic-like film from the leaves of romaine lettuce. This has caused a buzz online, with many people associating it with the E. coli outbreak affecting romaine lettuce. However, experts have confirmed that this translucent parchment is not plastic. The film is a natural substance that forms when lettuce is grown or transported in colder temperatures.
The outer skin of romaine lettuce can experience a type of "freeze burn" when grown or transported in sub-freezing temperatures, resulting in a "blistering" of the skin, much like what would happen if human skin experienced a burn. This blister can expand and open up, causing the discolouration of the lettuce leaves. The USDA has stated that this process can occur when produce is transported, and if the leaves get too cold during transportation from California or Arizona (where 98% of US lettuce is grown), they can develop a filmy white epidermis.
The plastic-like film, therefore, occurs due to internal factors within the lettuce itself and is not caused by any external applications or contaminants. This phenomenon is a natural response of the lettuce to freezing temperatures and is not indicative of any artificial coatings or modifications.
It is important to note that the video showing the woman peeling off a plastic-like substance from lettuce leaves is misleading and does not accurately represent the nature of the film. While it may appear plastic-like, it is simply the lettuce's natural response to cold temperatures and is not a cause for concern regarding food safety or contamination.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the film that appears on lettuce leaves is a natural substance that forms when the lettuce is grown or transported in cold temperatures. This translucent film is the lettuce's response to the cold, similar to frostbite or sunburn in humans.
Lettuce does not have plastic film on it. The film that sometimes appears on lettuce leaves is a natural process that occurs when the lettuce encounters freezing temperatures. This film is not plastic but rather the epidermal or skin layer of the lettuce.
Cold weather can cause the outer skin of lettuce to experience a type of "freeze burn", resulting in blistering of the skin. This can occur when lettuce is grown in regions with sub-freezing nights or transported through cold temperatures.
The film on lettuce can appear plastic-like due to its translucent and peelable nature. However, it is important to note that this film is not plastic but rather a natural response of the lettuce to cold temperatures.
