Study: Pre-Packaged Salad Greens Contain High Levels of Bacteria

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You might want to think twice before picking up that bag of pre-washed salad from the grocery store. A new study from Consumer Reports found that many pre-washed, pre-packed salads contain high levels of bacteria that are common indicators of fecal contamination and poor sanitation.

The study included 208 samples from 16 brands, including Dole, Earthbound Farm Organic and fresh Express, along with several store lines and all packages were purchased by there “sell-by” dates. At least one package from each brand contained what would be considered unacceptably high levels of coliforms and other bacteria, which indicate fecal contamination.

The good news? None of the samples contained signs of E. coli, salmonella or listeria.

In order to protect yourself, make sure to:
1. Buy packages as far from their use by date as possible.
2. Wash greens yourself – even if the greens say they’ve been pre-washed or triple washed.
3. Keep greens away from raw meat to prevent cross-contamination.

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