THE ROMAINE LETTUCE PROBLEM!

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Yom Tov / Holidays -> Pesach

Previous 1 2 3 Next

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

justanothermother

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 1:26 pm

That's true. I had the Alei Katif from Israel. I saw a bigger dark bug right away, so I checked the whole head with a lightbox and did not find any of the smaller bugs at all. But I was concerned because if the big bugs could get in, kal v'chomer the smaller ones could get in as well.

BrachaVHatzlocha

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 10:06 pm

I used the 3 heads in a bag, as well. For $3.
The Alei Katif was from Mexico and $5/bag (with much less in it). It said (and I saw an ad about it) on it that it DOES have bugs, and requires washing, but these bugs come off with rinsing, while regular romaine may have bugs that you need to physically remove.

Tefila

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 10:08 pm

They are all trouble yes Romaine is slightly better but still needs the vigourous checking this is the only time incidentally that I use lettuce.

chocolate moose

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 10:11 pm

Tefila wrote:

They are all trouble yes Romaine is slightly better but still needs the vigourous checking this is the only time incidentally that I use lettuce.

that's a shame, b/c it's a very healthy food.

Tefila

Tue, Apr 22 2008, 10:19 pm

Well considering we have tons of other vegtables b"h and my kids are proof of it Very Happy

I would rather stay away from bug infested veg, cm u may do mine for me if u feel it's a pity Tongue Out

ChossidMom

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 5:04 am

Let me explain something to you about the katif lettuce.

Like someone said, it does not have those tiny white/green bugs that furrow in and are hard to see.

Sometimes it does have black flies, which are flies that fly into the greenhouse (when the door is open) and wind up on the lettuce. They are very easy to spot and ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS RINSE THE LEAVES. If you want to be machmir you can swish them around in soap water. That's it. This is according to Rav Vaye who is the number 1 expert in bugs-in-food.

It is not necessary to check Katif lettuce under a strong light and examine each leaf.

ChossidMom

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 5:05 am

justanothermother wrote:

Actually, the small ones can't get in because of the way these greenhouses are built. The big ones fly in when the screendoor is open. I heard a whole lecture by Rav Vaye on this once.

justanothermother

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 8:51 am

Chossidmom, I wish I spoke to you Friday morning before I went checking everything.

Motek

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 10:11 am

justanothermother wrote:

Chossidmom, I wish I spoke to you Friday morning before I went checking everything.

What she said is standard practice with Alei Katif vegetables. They say on the package to rinse for bugs and the bugs they have are large that fly in, not the aphids and thrips that are so difficult to find.

So it turns out that you and cookielady found bugs and that isn't suprising, they don't claim otherwise.

justanothermother

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 10:13 am

Although it was quicker for me to check everything then to try and translate all the writing on the package.

chocolate moose

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 10:41 am

Tefila wrote:

Well considering we have tons of other vegtables b"h and my kids are proof of it Very Happy

I would rather stay away from bug infested veg, cm u may do mine for me if u feel it's a pity Tongue Out

I heard from the rov that it's "against Torah" to not eat certain fruits and vegetable b/c of bug issues. You need to learn how to check them so you can eat them.

ChossidMom

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 3:41 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

Tefila wrote:

Well considering we have tons of other vegtables b"h and my kids are proof of it Very Happy

I would rather stay away from bug infested veg, cm u may do mine for me if u feel it's a pity Tongue Out

I heard from the rov that it's "against Torah" to not eat certain fruits and vegetable b/c of bug issues. You need to learn how to check them so you can eat them.

well, that's an interesting take. But there are things that more or less can't be checked like broccoli, brussels sprouts, strawberries...?

Ruchel

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 4:00 pm

My husband's rav, who is a kashrus specialist (wrote about kashrus extensively, etc), says you can kosher them by checking and dipping in vinegar/soap.

chaylizi

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 4:04 pm

we use romaine but put grated horseradish inside the leaves. My husband checks our fruit & vegetables most of the time b/c I am really afraid to miss something. I think he used soap on the lettuce & checked them under a strong light.

chocolate moose

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 4:33 pm

ChossidMom wrote:

chocolate moose wrote:

Tefila wrote:

Well considering we have tons of other vegtables b"h and my kids are proof of it Very Happy

I would rather stay away from bug infested veg, cm u may do mine for me if u feel it's a pity Tongue Out

I heard from the rov that it's "against Torah" to not eat certain fruits and vegetable b/c of bug issues. You need to learn how to check them so you can eat them.

well, that's an interesting take. But there are things that more or less can't be checked like broccoli, brussels sprouts, strawberries...?

sure you can check them. or buy bodek. brussels sprouts have to be taken apart, though.

ChossidMom

Wed, Apr 23 2008, 4:39 pm

I read that Rav Vaye examined Bodek strawberries and found insects burrowed in them. I don't remember the exact numbers but they weren't encouraging....

Cdlf

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 12:47 am

The bugs in greenhouse grown romaine come off when washed well, as clearly instructed on the package. They are not attached to the leaves and those are not a problem. In regular romaine, or 3 in a pack, the problem is the bugs that cannot be seen to the naked eye and are attached and imbedded in the leaf itself and no amount of soaking or rinsing can remove that. The part with the bug needs to be cut or torn out. I bought a very strong light box at Rainbow Lighting, recommended to us by a Mashgiach because it's stronger than the one advertised, and when you put a piece of lettuce on it, it becomes almost translucent and you can see so clearly and so quickly if it's clean or has a bug. I used to say I'll never trust myself with checking, but with this lighbox it's almost fool-proof. I also found that from the 3 pack, Andy Boy is almost always clean and Foxy is almost always infested.
There are also some people that don't use Aleh katif that's grown in Israel because of Shemitta, and the romaine from Mexico is very scarce. Therefore I think alot of people have been forced to learn to check for themselves or not eat romaine.
I myself had the romaine from mexico for the Seder and the taste and quality was not great. I enjoy the taste of freshly checked Andy Boy way more. Sorry for my long comment but I hope it was helpful.

ChossidMom

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 1:01 am

Why in the world would they not use katif because of shmitta?
It has a very mehudar hashgacha.

Cdlf

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 1:27 am

The Baal Macsher from the past took off his Hecsher temporarily for the Shmitta year. They got a new hecsher for this year, I think Belz. The people that do eat Alei Katif from Israel say that it's not grown in earth, it's grown in sand, so therfore doesn't have the halacha of Shmitta. But others argue that if that was the case, why do we make a Borei Pri Haadama? By making that Brocha we are saying that it's grown in the ground. This is what I heard, but I'd love more info and feedback.

BrachaVHatzlocha

Thu, Apr 24 2008, 9:40 pm

the alei katif sold here was from mexico.
I have one bag left of andy boy.....anyone want it? Wink

I'm too nervous to check it if I don't really need it!

Page 2 of 3

Previous 1 2 3 Next