Salmonella and Cyclospora don't care about political parties or who is in office. This isn't a partisan issue; it's a structural reality of the globalized corporate food supply chain. Massive food recalls and outbreaks have happened consistently across every single administration for the last forty years. The biological reality remains the same: industrial factory processing creates cross-contamination risks that do not exist when you prepare fresh, whole ingredients at home.

Whether you blame corporate greed or government deregulation, you are completely proving my point: the regulatory system cannot save you.

If you believe the current administration has weakened food safety watchdogs, then it is incredibly naive to keep buying pre-processed factory foods. If the safety net is broken, the logical solution isn't to cross your fingers and keep eating factory-shredded lettuce from a multi-state/multi-country supply chain. The solution is to take control of your own food safety by buying fresh, whole ingredients, inspecting them yourself, and preparing them in your own kitchen, or from a restaurant or friend whose kitchen you trust to do the same.

I understand how government oversight works. I'm saying consumers shouldn't be so naive to rely on it, or pre-processed foods in general.

Nerfherder doesn't seem to understand that relying on corporations and the government to "clean" or process your food is absolutely not safer than washing and preparing fresh ingredients yourself. In fact, outsourcing your food prep to large-scale supply chains often compounds your food safety risks rather than eliminating them.

"Why can't the government help with food quality, like it did before Trump?"

It can and should, but Americans should still change their lazy cultural habits so they're not at the mercy of corporations who helped put people like Trump in office.

"Very good! So how do you clean a raw, fresh, store-bought jalapeno or tomato or bunch of cilantro that may or may not have salmonella or cyclospora? Do you boil them or just pour some antibacterial soap into them?"

To safely clean fresh produce like jalapeos, tomatoes, and cilantro, you should submerge and agitate them in a bowl of cold tap water, or rinse them thoroughly under running water, while using a clean brush on firm skins.

Recommended Cleaning Method0

Use running water: Wash produce under a cold stream to mechanically remove dirt and pathogens.

Friction works: Rub soft items with your hands. Scrub firm items like peppers and tomatoes with a clean vegetable brush.

Dry thoroughly: Wipe the produce with a clean paper towel to further reduce remaining bacteria.

Trim cilantro: Wash cilantro in a bowl of cold water, swish it around to drop debris, lift it out, and spin or pat dry.

What to Avoid (Addressing the Sarcasm)

Never use soap: Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines warn that fruits and vegetables can absorb household soaps and detergents, which can make you sick.

Do not boil: Boiling changes the texture and flavor, turning fresh salsa ingredients into a cooked sauce.

Chemical washes are unnecessary: The FDA states that commercial produce washes are no more effective than plain clean water.

Crucial Safety Steps

Wash hands first: Scrub your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before handling any food.

Clean the kitchen: Sanitize your countertops, cutting boards, and knives before and after prepping produce.

Cut away damage: Bruised or damaged areas on tomatoes and peppers can harbor bacteria and should be cut out.

Refrigerate immediately: Keep your finished homemade salsa and guacamole in the fridge below 40F (4C) to stop bacterial growth.

7.4 earthquake in Colombia this morning. I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

"Seems to ignore the entire point of lettuce."

If you like to eat raw lettuce, you can't really look down on those who drink raw milk.

"How do you clean Taylor Farms' prepared salsa and/or guacamole?"

You don't. You make your own salsa and/or guacamole from fresh ingredients.

Americans need to learn how to clean their food, not rely on or assume corporate supermarkets to do it for them. Lettuce should also be slightly cooked, too. That's why food poisoning is less likely in China and cultures that prepare food in a similar way.