Kristi King, wtop.com
UNDATED – Bagged salads are convenient, but it might be worth taking time to rinse leafy greens even if the package says those greens are pre-washed.
As many as 39 percent of bagged salads tested by Consumer Reports had what’s considered unacceptable levels of bacteria that are common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination.
Those findings were most common in bags within one to five days of their use-by dates, and among bags containing spinach.
Experts recommend you rinse leafy greens even if the package says triple washed. Also, buy greens at least a week before the use-by date. You can help avoid the growth of bacteria in your greens if they’re fresh and not pre-packaged.
The bagged salad bacteria detected by Consumer Reports were not pathogens such as E. coli, listeria or salmonella. The consumer’s group has encouraged the Food and Drug Administration to set stronger produce safety standards.
Over the past year FDA experts and scientists have collected comments and perspective on this from numbers of sources including growers and grocery store chains. The FDA expects to announce a proposed rule by the end of the month.
After a public comment period, new regulations for handling leafy greens, tomatoes and melons are expected sometime in 2012.
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