How Safe Is It to Eat Bagged Salad Greens?

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Saturday, July 20, 2019

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

How safe is it to eat bagged salad? PHOTO: Sharyn Morrow/Flickr Commons

It’s normal to assume that uncut greens are a healthier options than the packed, pre-cut kind.

Packaged greens can seem slimy or like they’ve lost their nutrients, but they’re actually just as good an option as uncut greens, if not better. In most cases, bagged salad is washed three times before packaging, with one of the washes involving sanitizing chemicals for an extra clean.

The chemicals used, such as diluted chlorine, are FDA-approved and the best-proven defense against pathogens such as E. Coli and salmonella.

Because the greens are stored in an airtight bag, they actually last longer than whole, uncut bunches. Contrary to popular belief, bagged greens don’t lose their nutrition over time, as long as they’re stored properly.

The only downside to packaged greens is that juice from cut or crushed leaves are more likely to spur the growth of bacteria such as salmonella. According to nutrition and wellness expert Frances Largeman-Roth, “the benefits definitely outweigh the risk.”