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Episode Transcription
From Washington State University Extension, this is Food Safety in a Minute.
Truth or myth: You should wash ready-to-eat lettuce and leafy greens before eating. This is a myth. According to the Washington State Department of Health, these products are safe to eat. Produced in an inspected facility following Good Manufacturing Practices, sealed bags of lettuce and leafy greens labeled “washed,” “triple washed” or “ready-toeat” do not need added washing.
At home, more washing of ready-to-eat lettuce and leafy greens may actually make them less safe to eat. It’s easy to cross contaminate leafy greens at home, leading to foodborne illness. People may not wash their hands before rinsing produce, have refrigerator bins that lack regular cleaning, or may rinse produce in sinks that have not been cleaned and sanitized.
This is Susie Craig for Food Safety in a Minute.
Resources
Food and Drug Administration. Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for Lettuce and Leafy Greens
Supply Chain (PDF). Accessed online 1/3/24.
Washington State Department of Health. Food Safety Myths. Accessed online 1/3/24.