I know that some of them put food quality bleach on lettuce and certain items to keep them looking fresh.

I never knew some of them sprayed starch on it! I got this from someone's post in that pancake thread. (Boy! Did that thread take on a life of its own or what?!).

What kind of starch? I've never heard of this. I may have to rethink salad bars altogether! I did a post asking why they are so bad but this was never mentioned.

fitbyforty - might be a legend at boston college, but not where I went to school, according to my friend who worked in the kitchen at the DC (dining commons)

I don't have details, I just know what he told me, but its not a friend-of-a-friend situation :-) I don't think it is common, but it does happen. And I have no idea what kind of starch it would be.

To add, this is actually a method used to help preserve the produce longer, not likely to make you feel full, although it seemed to have that effect (completely non-clinical self experience only, but salads I made from bagged lettuce at home never lasted as long as the same salads made with DC lettuce). Spraying produce with a 1% starch solution increases the time it can be stored.