Is this lettuce for the birds?
June 29, 2011 2:50 PM   Subscribe

Is it OK to eat lettuce in which I found a feather?

While washing lettuce (from an organic CSA), I found a fluffy feather. I am 100% fine with finding bugs in my lettuce -- it happens most of the time -- but the feather has me a little unsettled, as it seems a more likely vector for nasties. Is it safe to eat?
posted by apparently to Food & Drink (10 answers total)
 
Wash your lettuce; it will be fine.
posted by axismundi at 2:54 PM on June 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


If it squicks you out too much, toss out the part of the head where the feather was. Otherwise wash well and call it a day.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 2:56 PM on June 29, 2011


It's not really more of a vector than bugs themselves. I'd eat the lettuce. (If their fields are friendly enough for birds, that sounds good to me; birds eat bugs, after all.)
posted by rtha at 3:00 PM on June 29, 2011 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: I would totally throw out the affected leaves only, except that I found the feather while swishing around two heads in a big sinkful of water, so not only has the original location has been lost, but whatever I would have been hoping to avoid is now all over the leaves of both heads.
posted by apparently at 3:00 PM on June 29, 2011


Considering your lettuce was probably grown in animal poop, I think it'll be fine after a standard washing.
posted by phunniemee at 3:01 PM on June 29, 2011 [7 favorites]


eh? Just wash it carefully, you'll be fine.
posted by peachfuzz at 3:11 PM on June 29, 2011


Best answer: The farms usually pluck this kind of stuff out before selling it to you. They just missed this one and you happened to see it. Wash it off and eat it!
posted by troublewithwolves at 3:43 PM on June 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


You would probably be safe eating the feather itself. This is a non-issue.
posted by fiercecupcake at 3:46 PM on June 29, 2011


They probably have chickens running around. I also wouldn't worry about the feather.
posted by amanda at 4:28 PM on June 29, 2011


Response by poster: OK, y'all have convinced me to buck up and eat the lettuce. Will have next of kin post back later if I contract some sort of avian rot.
posted by apparently at 5:01 PM on June 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


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