Rats!

According to a report today on CNN a couple in Michigan found a dead mouse or rat in a package of Dole salad.  Whether or not it is true, (a friend who works for Dole told me it is highly unlikely) it will probably be another hit on the industry.  Most people who find a "foreign object", in their salad immediately think it is an epidemic.  The actual ratio of objects is on the order of one per 100,000 packed salads.  This includes weeds, sticks, insects and the occasional rubber glove or rubber gasket.   I understand the average consumer's feelings when encountering these items in their salad.  However, it is virtually impossible to guarantee you will never find them.  You also cannot put a disclaimer on the bag, as that will convince a large number of shoppers to skip salads altogether.  In the meantime, this story will certainly impact Dole's sales for several weeks and maybe convince some chains to stop carrying their salads.  But it is not good for any company which repacks vegetables.  Just another excuse to ignore your mother's injunction to "eat your vegetables".