You May Want To Think Twice Before You Eat Bagged Lettuce

Ever heard of a "manure lagoon"?

You likely buy some grocery items for convenience, to save a couple of steps when it’s time to prepare a meal. Prewashed bagged greens, such as lettuce or spinach, seem like a no-brainer if you’re trying to eat nutritiously. But not so fast ...

According to food safety experts, prewashed bagged greens aren’t the safest choice. Bacteria and contamination are more common than you may suspect in this particular grocery item.

“While consumers expect convenience and safety, the reality is that prewashed bagged greens remain one of the riskiest items in the grocery store due to contamination risks throughout the supply chain,” says Darin Detwiler, a professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of “Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.” He avoids buying bagged greens because of the risk of deadly E. coli contamination. “When you look at past outbreaks, bagged salads have been a leading cause of foodborne illness, with some outbreaks resulting in hospitalizations, kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome), and even death,” Detwiler said.

You’re not imagining it — there are a lot of outbreaks.

Many factors in the supply chain can contaminate the greens with pathogens — such as E. coli, listeria or salmonella — that can leave people sick, hospitalized or worse. “Bagged greens are washed and processed in large batches, which is an effective way to spread pathogens,” said Olivia Roszkowski, chef-instructor of plant-based culinary arts and food safety certification at the Institute of Culinary Education’s New York City campus.