In Poor Neighborhoods, "Fresh" Produce Isn't Always What it Seems
A new study from Drexel University researchers published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that when stores in poor neighborhoods do get fresh produce, it is more likely to be close to spoiling or have the potential to make people sick. After buying salad, strawberries, cucumbers and watermelon repeatedly over 15 months in the Philadelphia area, the scientists found that mold, microorganisms and bacteria were all more likely to be present on produce purchased from stores in poor neighborhoods than in wealthier ones. In other words, if you are a poor Philadelphian buying fruits and vegetables in your own neighborhood, chances are your produce will spoil faster and may give you food poisoning.
I’ve remarked to Amber before that the quality of the produce at the Edgewood Kroger is markedly worse than the quality of the produce at the Kroger just down Moreland, which is a poorer area. Seems it’s not my imagination.
