Leafy Greens Leading Cause of Food Poisoning

PEORIA - Lettuce and other leafy greens are topping the list for food poisoning in the U.S.

The Peoria County Health Department said it sees cases of illness from greens on a regular basis.

The Health Department suggests the old practice of washing your lettuce thoroughly and trimming away the bad spots.

Director Wil Hayes said it's a good idea to make cleaning your vegetables a habit. He said, "We've had links associated with contaminants due to poor fertilizer practices. We've had contamination occur to the processing and handling by employees, because they're completely handled by everybody so it's not a real surprise leafy greens are going to be high on that list."

A good way to see just how much dirt is in your lettuce - pull the leaves off and cut off the base. Then let it soak for about three to four minutes.

Hayes said you'll be able to see just how much debris is soaked out of it.