Salmonella and similar disease in hydroponic systems?
 

Hi!

Just read somewhere on the web that eating hydroponic veggies puts you at risk of salmonella and legionella and other mean bacteria. Do you guys have any idea if this is true?

Can the lettuce i grow myself make me sick? The article I read certainly scared me!

Are any particular crops more likely to spread this disease?

I guess it depends on what system,,,

FYI:Hydroponics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The main advantage of the NFT system over other forms of hydroponics is that the ... offers growers the ability to reduce the spread of disease and pathogens. .... Perlite has similar properties and uses to vermiculite but generally holds .... "Alfalfa Sprouts Source Of Salmonella, Experts Say - Omaha- msnbc.com". ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics - Cached - Similar
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Salmonella
However, as with all things, there are disadvantages and primary among those is that the hydroponic conditions (presence of fertilizer and high humidity) have been said to create an environment that stimulates salmonella growth.

Chintamanie, in response to how this advantage is addressed, maintained that the stimulation of salmonella is not an issue for Guyana since the hydroponic conditions here are different.

“We use the paddy husk and white sand. This is different from conditions seen with hydroponic setups in other places. Salmonella is not something we have to worry about,” he affirmed.

For the complete article go to http://www.guyanachronicleonline.com...ries&Itemid=17


Do you have a source for that article? web site?

Thanks
Simon

This is the article, but a quick google brings up loads of articles.

Dangers of Gardening with Hydroponics | DoItYourself.com

Also, is there a difference from growing indoors and outdoors? Regarding the risk of salmonella.

Just like any veggies I eat, I always wash them thoroughly first. But for salmonella, it mostly depends on what you are feeding them, and how you handle the plants. If you are using animal waste in your nutrients (fish emulsion, bat guano, chicken poop, etc.) there's a risk of salmonella. Also any organic nutrients, because organic nutrients are made from animal waist products. If using these products, it can also be spread if you touch the plants with the water, or accidentally splash it onto the leaves.

How you handle your plants in a aquaponics system is important for that very reason, they use fish waist as the fertilizer (nutrients). Here is a pdf. about that : On-Farm Food Safety: Aquaponics, by the university of Hawaii.

P.S. salmonella can also be spread by any animals that may defecate on your plants. Birds flying by pooping on them, rabbits, mice, squirrels etc.. That will be possible weather you grow in soil or hydroponics. But growing inside you have more control about animals around your plants. But like I said, I wash my produce thoroughly before eating it (homegrown, or store bought).