September/October 2024 - 8

FOOD SAFETY
Weeding out danger
Processing lines help remove
toxic plants mixed with
vegetable crops
BY JACOB HOBBEL
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR
T
oxic weeds can be difficult to combat on processing
lines.
When poisonous Datura stramonium (commonly
known as thorn apple, stinkweed, angel's trumpet and
jimsonweed) or nightshade (Solanum dulcamara) plants
get mixed with green vegetables, the color similarities
make detection difficult.
This is especially true of green beans and baby leaf
spinach. After beans are blanched for freezing or the
spinach is cut, datura becomes even harder to detect.
Though rare, instances of poisonous weeds infiltrating
food products have occurred.
In December 2022, Australia saw a widespread recall
of baby spinach from a Victoria farm after more than 130
people experienced symptoms including hallucinations
and delirium, according to The Guardian. A chief scientist
at Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens suspected toxic
plants, including nightshade, were to blame.
" This is likely to be a nightshade, " Brett Summerell
told The Guardian. " When young, they are just a few dark
8 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2024
green leaves, which is probably not that much different to
spinach. " In Slovakia in 2011, deep frozen spinach puree
believed to contain jimsonweed was linked to a foodborne
outbreak, with estimates of those sickened ranging from
a dozen to 100.
Increasing consumer demand for organically grown
crops and limitations on pesticide use could result in
weeds becoming more prevalent. Global sales of organic
foods are expected to increase in value by 2030 at a
compound annual growth rate of 10% to 13%.
Retailers expect food processors to take necessary
steps to eliminate contamination risks. The good
news is that state-of-the-art sorting machines provide
effective solutions.
Tricky and toxic
Nightshade fruit has the appearance of a small green
ball that, over time, turns black, ultimately resembling
a blueberry. Because there is almost no discernible
color difference between green nightshade and green
produce, it is difficult for color sorters to detect. And
when nightshade gets sliced on a processing line along
with green beans or baby leaf spinach, it is also difficult
to differentiate by shape.
Datura fruit is also small and ball-shaped but stays
green and has small spikes. As well as blending when
mixed with green vegetables, this weed is also difficult to
identify by shape after losing its spikes when blanched
with green beans.

September/October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2024

Editor's Letter
Accelerated deadline
Weeding out danger
East Coast diversification
Regenerating soil
Connecting innovation and education at the Great Lakes EXPO
Organic Grower
Veg Connections
Farm Market & Agritourism
Ag Labor Review
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
September/October 2024 - 1
September/October 2024 - 2
September/October 2024 - 3
September/October 2024 - Editor's Letter
September/October 2024 - 5
September/October 2024 - Accelerated deadline
September/October 2024 - 7
September/October 2024 - Weeding out danger
September/October 2024 - 9
September/October 2024 - 10
September/October 2024 - 11
September/October 2024 - East Coast diversification
September/October 2024 - 13
September/October 2024 - 14
September/October 2024 - 15
September/October 2024 - Regenerating soil
September/October 2024 - 17
September/October 2024 - Connecting innovation and education at the Great Lakes EXPO
September/October 2024 - 19
September/October 2024 - 20
September/October 2024 - 21
September/October 2024 - 22
September/October 2024 - Organic Grower
September/October 2024 - 24
September/October 2024 - 25
September/October 2024 - 26
September/October 2024 - 27
September/October 2024 - Veg Connections
September/October 2024 - 29
September/October 2024 - Farm Market & Agritourism
September/October 2024 - 31
September/October 2024 - Ag Labor Review
September/October 2024 - 33
September/October 2024 - Classifieds
September/October 2024 - Advertiser Index
September/October 2024 - 36
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