If you're a stickler for food safety, you might be vigilant about always washing your fruits and vegetables before you eat them. You might even be one of those people who reads "triple washed" on a bag of lettuce, but still insists on washing it anyway. The problem is that by washing those leafy greens yourself, you're actually increasing your risk of consuming potentially harmful bacteria or another contaminant.
How to Store Lettuce So It Stays Crisp and Fresh
Not convinced? Here's what a registered dietitian says about why you shouldn't wash your pre-washed lettuce at home.
Pre-washed lettuce is already about as safe as it gets.
"Leafy greens in sealed bags labeled 'triple washed,' 'washed' or 'ready-to-eat' are produced in a facility inspected by a government regulatory authority and operated under Good Manufacturing Practices ," says Neva Cochran, M.S., RDN, LD, a dietitian, nutrition communications consultant and an advisory panel member to the Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement. These practices are set by the Food and Drug Administration, and all food manufacturing facilities must follow them. They include things like personal hygiene of workers, design of a facility, maintenance of equipment, sanitation, and process controls during production and packaging.
Your home kitchen isn't subject to these same sky-high standards for safety and cleanliness.
"Washing them again [at home] can actually increase the risk for leafy greens to pick up bacteria from your sink, countertops, cutting boards, knives, colanders, salad spinners, bowls or other items or surfaces in your kitchen the greens might come in contact with during the washing process," Cochran says.
A few years back, the Centers for Disease Control released a video that outlined why you shouldn't wash poultry in your sink: because potentially harmful bacteria from the chicken might splatter around your kitchen and contaminate other foods. Predictably, people went nuts, and many couldn't imagine not washing their chicken before cooking it.
The idea behind not washing your leafy greens is in that same vein (and will probably have an equally polarizing reaction). Simply put, there are so many germs and bacteria in your sink—particularly if you're washing poultry and other raw meat in there—that washing will do more harm than good. Plus, since you typically eat lettuce raw, there's no chance for potentially harmful compounds to be neutralized by heat during the cooking process.
Trust that your pre-washed lettuce is ready to eat.
That bag of salad mix in your fridge has already undergone a three-step process to make sure there's no bacteria or foreign objects. The three steps in triple-washing include:
A pre-wash at the farm to remove rocks, debris and insects
Being passed through two separate baths of sanitizing liquid at the processing site
Being safely dried and packaged
If you buy unwashed greens, then you do have to wash them—here's how to do it.
"First, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before and after handling the leafy greens," Cochran says. "Then use hot water and soap to clean all surfaces like sinks, countertops, bowls, salad spinners, colanders and strainers that will be used in washing the leafy greens."
If you're working with a head of lettuce or a bunch of greens, first remove the core or stems, so that you're left with just the leaves. If you have pre-packaged, unwashed greens, then the leaves should already be separated.
"Separate and individually rinse the leaves under cold running tap water," Cochran says. "For leaves that can't easily be held under running water, place them in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to loosen sand and dirt." Transfer the greens to a strainer or colander to drain excess liquid, then dry them with a clean cloth or (preferably) paper towel.
Obviously, you shouldn't use bleach or detergent to clean the greens, because they're not meant to be consumed. "The FDA also advises against using commercial fruit and vegetable washes because they may leave residues," Cochran says. "Plus their safety and effectiveness have not been thoroughly tested or standardized." It's even possible that they're less effective for washing than water alone.
The bottom line
The safest way to eat leafy greens is to buy them pre-washed. Unless you follow strict food safety guidelines and regularly invite a health inspector into your home, your kitchen just isn't as clean as a commercial facility. Best to leave the washing to the experts.
"Washing them again [at home] can actually increase the risk for leafy greens to pick up bacteria from your sink, countertops, cutting boards, knives, colanders, salad spinners, bowls or other items or surfaces in your kitchen the greens might come in contact with during the washing process," Cochran says.
Leafy green salads in sealed bags labeled "washed," "triple washed," or "ready-to-eat" that are produced in a facility inspected by a regulatory authority and operated under "Good Manufacturing Practices" (GMP): Do not need additional washing at the time of use unless specially directed on the label.
Yes, it's important to wash all fresh produce, but especially leafy greens and lettuce. Harmful bacteria from the soil can contaminate fruits and vegetables and lead to a foodborne illness if consumed. There's a higher risk associated with produce that is eaten raw, like romaine lettuce and salad greens.
Even with advancements in cultivation, processing and packaging, experts say about 40% of pre-washed fruits and vegetables can be contaminated with bacteria that could be harmful to the health of your customers. So, the clear answer is no – pre-washed fruits and veggies are neither clean, nor safe for consumption.
Triple-washed or ready-to-eat greens typically are rinsed to remove dirt, debris, and grit, then washed in water that contains chlorine or another sanitizer, and finally rinsed. But this doesn't necessarily get rid of the bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Lettuce must be dry before storing it, as moisture contributes to spoilage. Use a paper towel or salad spinner to remove all excess water after washing the lettuce. Lettuce with less oxygen exposure will stay fresh longer, so plastic bags or containers are better for long-term storage than the initial packaging.
"Harmful bacteria can live on lettuce as it's being harvested and going through the packaging process, so it's best to wash it right before eating to help rinse off any surface dirt," says Katie Sabatini, a dietician who works as food safety and quality assurance manager at Little Leaf Farms.
Q: Are some types of lettuce safer than others? A: Because contamination can happen anywhere from farm to table, no single type of leafy green is risk-free. But hydroponic lettuces (which are greenhouse-grown) are less likely to be contaminated by bacteria from animal droppings.
Washing lettuce in water (or water combined with baking soda) may help remove pesticide residue, surface dirt and debris from produce, but Rogers cautions that washing has not been proven an effective way to remove E.coli and related bacteria.
Even when leafy greens are grown free of harmful bacteria, contamination can still occur during harvesting, processing, or packaging. And because packaged salad greens are processed at a small number of facilities across the U.S., bacteria such as listeria can easily spread from one batch to many.
While Listeria is killed by pasteurization and cooking, pregnant people and at-risk consumers can reduce their risk for listeriosis by eating only raw vegetables that are thoroughly washed.
To kill off bacteria, packagers of prewashed organic and conventional lettuce first rinse the greens with water and then typically spray them with a diluted chlorine solution. Despite these measures, E. coli outbreaks associated with prewashed bagged lettuce and spinach have been reported.
“McDonalds expects high quality and freshness on a daily basis,” he explains. “Within days, our lettuce is harvested, tripled rinsed and delivered to McDonalds.”
Giving greens a cozy absorbent bed will help them stay fresh and crisp. You can roll them loosely in a paper towel, or even slip a sheet of toweling right into the bag with them. If you want to make a more Earth-friendly choice, consider using a cotton tea towel instead. Seal the bag tightly with a chip clip.
To kill off bacteria, packagers of prewashed organic and conventional lettuce first rinse the greens with water and then typically spray them with a diluted chlorine solution. Despite these measures, E. coli outbreaks associated with prewashed bagged lettuce and spinach have been reported.
But if you follow the tips below to maximize its shelf life, your bagged lettuce should last for five to seven days. If you need it to last longer, consider buying whole heads of lettuce instead, as these will stay fresh for up to two weeks (and they're usually cheaper).
After washing and drying lettuce, you can store it in the fridge for up to 36 hours. Save time and space by re-using the bowl from the personal-size little salad spinner to store greens in your fridge.
Introduction: My name is Frankie Dare, I am a funny, beautiful, proud, fair, pleasant, cheerful, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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