Or you wash them really half-assedly? (i.e. for like 3 seconds in lukewarm water that doesn't even touch every surface, like I wash my hands after taking a piss)

I already ate them, but now I notice there's this white shit congealed on the edges of the pot. Also, Google is being really unhelpful about this question...all I can find is this one random site that says "Washing is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY unless you want to make a trip to the dentist." But maybe the Wolfweb can provide some more concrete info.

2/19/2015 9:27:12 PM

mostly they'll just have dirt on them. not much worry of insects on them this time of year, so they probably weren't dusted with anything.

2/19/2015 9:31:23 PM

My theory:

"We have received quite a few inquiries about this and wanted to address the concern. This "coating" is actually the "Epidermal or Skin Layer" of the lettuce and not plastic, which is why consumers of both organic and conventionally grown products have noticed the effect. It has nothing to do with anything that has been applied externally to the product.

So why does this coating occur?

During the winter season, romaine lettuce is grown in Yuma Arizona. During the months of December through February the Yuma growing region can easily see sub-freezing nights with temperatures reaching into the low twenties. This will cause the outer skin of romaine lettuce to experience a type of "freeze burn" which results in a "blistering" of the skin, much like what would happen if human skin experienced a burn.

What some shoppers are seeing when they peel back what appears to be plastic, is the natural healing process of the lettuce. The blistering causes the skin to separate from the lettuce and can then be peeled off the romaine head. This effect is called "Epidermal Peel" and is a very natural occurrence after a freeze. It does nothing to affect the safety of the product—it's strictly a cosmetic alteration."

--------------------

I've also heard you can mitigate this with vinegar. I don't see why the white stuff would send you to the dentist. I know the above is about lettuce but I think its true for most leafy green vegetables.

[Edited on February 19, 2015 at 9:32 PM. Reason : -]

2/19/2015 9:31:54 PM

I never wash my berries.

2/19/2015 9:37:16 PM

"teehee"

2/19/2015 9:42:26 PM

They will just be dirty. Dirt, sand, bug parts, insecticides, ball hairs, etc..

2/19/2015 9:53:48 PM

I have a feeling that the "trip to the dentist" refers to biting down on a stone or other hard foreign object that might have gotten into the collards somehow.

2/19/2015 10:00:52 PM

okay, so I'm not sick to my stomach and my teeth haven't rotted...I feel quite all right. So it looks like this rule that you "have" to wash your collard greens is just another manifestation of America's tendency towards germopobia. they were pretty good collard greens, too. thanks for your reassurances, guys.

2/19/2015 11:07:47 PM

Did the white shit congeale after refrigerating? If so, it's probably the fat you seasoned with.

2/20/2015 5:58:59 AM

[Edited on February 20, 2015 at 5:59 AM. Reason : Wtf]

2/20/2015 5:58:59 AM

[Edited on February 20, 2015 at 5:59 AM. Reason : X2]

2/20/2015 5:58:59 AM

The solution is not to eat that nasty shit in the first place

2/20/2015 9:12:02 AM

its the skin off the leaf

they probably experienced a freeze

2/20/2015 9:46:54 AM