Over the year , dozens of accounts of wild animals found in consumer - grade leafy green prepackaged salads have been report . Now , a new review suggest that finding amphibian , reptiles , andeven batsand shuttle may be a growing tendency in the US .
There is no formalized method of compiling datum on people finding bouncy animals in their salad , so researchers move around to the cyberspace reviewing culture medium from national news in Google and Bing searches . In fact , a quick Google search of “ frog in salad ” reveals dozens of accounts of consumer finding amphibian – both alive and dead – in their prepackaged salad .
Across the area , 40 incident were detected since 2003 with 38 occur within the last decade . Amphibians were identified in more than half of all example , with toad frog and toads making up all amphibian - link up incidents and more than 60 per centum being small - corporal treefrogs . At least seven incident involved Pacific Treefrogs ( Hyliola regilla ) and three comprised Green Anoles ( Anolis carolinensis ) . reptilian were found in 22.5 per centum of cases , mammals in 17.5 per centum , and bird in 7.5 percent . Of those , one lizard and nine frogs were found alive and at least two frogs were free into non - native areas , presenting potential problems for local biodiversity . Almost three clock time more incident involved ceremonious produce compared to organic fertilizer .
Prepackaged salad intersection have been growing since the 1980s and are now common in nearly every grocery memory across the body politic with much of the production turning to automation for take on consumer demand . Furthermore , agricultural expansion converts once raw lands that may still be home to wildlife like those found in salad purse .
It remains indecipherable if these event could indicate a food or health safety government issue . Nevertheless , the researchers notice that “ wild animals can diffuse diseases to humanity via contaminated green goods , therefore we contend that industry master can thin out the potential health risk to their consumers and negative economic upshot to themselves through increased attending to this subject . ” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC)estimatesthat 48 million people get sick , 128,00 are hospitalized , and 3,000 people die each class from contaminated food in the US .
“ One might look food for thought - safe professionals to bestride a serious response when these incident occur pass on the unfeigned threat that dotty beast can pose to human wellness through contaminated garden truck , ” write the authors inScience of the Total Environment . “ However , incidents of extemporaneous wildlife find in prepackaged green goods rarely receive such attention , perhaps because of the relatively humbled rate of infective infections detected in sure animal group . ”
Of course , the author note that online business relationship and coverage may be predetermine and there is not yet a standardised way of cover such occurrences severally and objectively . That is why they say a courtly software documentation procedure of such incident is needed to give chase happening and likely wellness and safety risks .
