What Does 'Triple-Washed' Mean on Salad Packages?

Bagged greens and salad mixes make dinner prep easier. After a long day, you don't have to chop up a whole head of lettuce or pick through a basket of arugula to make a single meal. Instead, you can reach into your fridge, grab a bag or clamshell, and pile some greens onto your plate with a protein, toppings, and a drizzle of vinaigrette. Just like that, dinner is served.

If you take a look at those same lettuce packages, you'll probably see that they say the greens have been "triple-washed" and are "ready to use." But you wouldn't be alone if you've stopped in your tracks to wonder, "Do I need to wash these greens again?"

So, what exactly does triple-washed mean? And are these greens actually safe to use right out of the package? Read on to find out.

What Does Triple-Washed Greens Mean?

Triple-washed greens are greens that have been pre-washed before packaging. This means they are ready-to-eat directly out of the package and don't require additional washing.

"The term 'triple wash' is used to convey the idea that a sequence of rinses is needed to successively remove heavy soils and grit that can get lodged in nooks and crannies of the produce, especially those grown under or on top of the soil," says Luke LaBorde, PhD, a professor of food science at Penn State University.

In a triple-wash system, the produce is washed three separate times before being packaged. The first wash is simply a water wash to remove soil and heavy debris. After the produce is transferred to the second sink, it's washed with water and a high concentrate of sanitizer. To ensure all debris is removed, the produce is transferred to a third sink and washed again with water and a lower concentrate of sanitizer.

"Sanitizers are added not so much to decontaminate the produce, since that is very difficult, but instead to prevent bacteria on a few contaminated items from moving throughout the wash tank to contaminate many more," LaBorde says.

Essentially, sanitizers won't sterilize the produce, but they will prevent one contaminated piece of produce from ruining the entire batch.

All sanitizers that will come in contact with fruits or vegetables have to be approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and producers are not allowed to mix up their own solutions.

After the three washes are complete, the produce is dried to remove surface moisture. Leafy greens are most commonly dried with a centrifuge, which is essentially a large-scale salad spinner. Drying produce before packaging will help prevent pathogenic bacteria from growing on the produce and decreasing its shelf life.

Should You Wash Triple-Washed Greens Before Eating Them?

You do not need to wash produce labeled as "triple-washed," "pre-washed," or "ready-to-eat," according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In fact, re-washing greens at home may lead to cross contamination from other surfaces and foods.

If you decide to wash pre-washed produce, the FDA recommends washing your hands before and after preparation and using clean surfaces and utensils to avoid cross contamination. Additionally, the FDA advises against soaking produce as it can increase the risk of cross contamination — so you should simply rinse produce under running water.

When washing produce at home, never use soap, bleach, or commercial produce washes. Thirty seconds under running water will reduce virus contamination, according to the FDA.

Related:

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• Greens Recipes