Submitted by: Terri Kolb, UW-Extension FoodWIse Administrator
Vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, kale, and bok choy, provide nutrients that help protect you from heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. But leafy greens, like other vegetables and fruits, are sometimes contaminated with harmful microorganisms.
Eating Leafy Greens
Are leafy greens safe to eat? Most often, yes! Millions of servings of leafy greens are eaten safely every day. But leafy greens are occasionally contaminated enough to make people sick. Washing leafy greens does not remove all germs. Germs can stick to the surface of leaves and even get inside them.
To reduce your chance of getting sick, always follow the steps for safely handling and preparing leafy greens before eating or serving them.
Safely handling and preparing leafy greens:
Do I need to wash all leafy greens? Pre-washed greens, like bagged salad mixes are ready to serve, the consumer does not need to rinse before serving. If the label on a leafy greens package says any of the following, you don’t need to wash the greens:
- Ready-to-eat
- Triple washed
- No washing necessary
Pre-washed greens sometimes cause illness, but the commercial washing process removes most of the contamination that can be removed by washing. All other leafy greens should be thoroughly washed before eating, cutting, or cooking.
What is the best way to wash leafy greens? We say ‘washing’ but what we really mean is rinsing leafy greens under clean, running water. Sometimes with scrubbing. Studies show that this step removes some of the germs and dirt on leafy greens and other vegetables and fruits. But no washing (rinsing) method can remove all germs.
Follow these steps to wash leafy greens that you plan to eat raw:
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water before and after preparing leafy greens.
- Inspect the leafy greens and get rid of any torn or bruised leaves. Also, get rid of the outer leaves of cabbages and lettuce heads that can tend to trap dirt and harmful microorganisms
- Rinse the remaining leaves under clean, running water. Use your hands to gently rub them to help get rid of germs and dirt.
- Dry leafy greens with a clean cloth, paper towel, or use a salad spinner.
Should I soak leafy greens before washing them? No. Do not soak leafy greens. If you soak them in a sink or bowl, germs on one leaf can spread to the other leaves. Rinsing leafy greens under running water is the best way to wash them.
Should I wash leafy greens with vinegar, lemon juice, soap, detergent, or produce wash? Use plain running water to wash leafy greens and other produce. Kitchen vinegar and lemon juice may be used, but there is no evidence to show either are any better than plain running water. Do not wash leafy greens or other produce with soap, detergent, or produce wash. Do not use a bleach solution or other disinfectant to wash produce.
Are organic leafy greens less likely to be contaminated than non-organic ones? All kinds of produce, including organic leafy greens, can be contaminated with harmful germs at any point. The CDC is not aware of any evidence that organic greens are safer.
How do I keep leafy greens in my garden safe to eat?
- Plant your garden away from animal pens, compost bins, and manure piles.
- Water your garden with clean, drinkable water.
- Keep dirty water, including storm runoff, away from the parts of plants you will eat.
- Keep animals, including pets, out of the garden.
Learn more about the programs and services of UW-Madison Division of Extension Forest County at https://forest.extension.wisc.edu or call 715-478-7797
