Unregulated Claims

Triple Washed. The FDA doesn’t require greens to be washed, but most, even unpackaged ones, get a rinse. Triple-washed or ready-to-eat greens typically are rinsed to remove dirt, debris, and grit, then washed in water that contains chlorine or another sanitizer, and finally rinsed. But this doesn’t necessarily get rid of the bacteria that can cause food poisoning. The washing process can remove up to 99 percent of harmful bacteria, such as E. coli O157:H7, on contaminated greens, but even the small amount that remains can make you sick. That’s in part because disease-causing bacteria can get inside the leaves of the greens as they’re growing when tainted water taken up by the roots is dispersed throughout the plant. What’s more, surface bacteria can adhere stubbornly to the wrinkles and grooves in the leaves.