In the wake of the recent E. coli outbreak traced to contaminated spinach, consumers have been turning to organic produce in efforts to try to protect themselves from the dangers of pathogenic bacteria that may be present on produce.

WCCO 4 News in Minneapolis says that it is important to remember that organic does not necessarily mean safer, a misconception that consumers may have.  Consumers need to educate themselves on what organic actually means – that often times fertilizer is animal-based waste material, the most common means of E. coli contamination.