Do I need to wash pre-washed bagged lettuce?  About Our Expert
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to Donald Schaffner, an expert on microbial risk at Rutgers
University, you actually increase the risk of cross-
contamination when you wash pre-washed lettuces. That's because
your kitchen—no matter how much of a clean freak you are—is like
Club Med for bacteria. There are people and pets and sneezes and
all kinds of foods sharing a relatively small space.  At the
processing plants, that lettuce was washed in very cold
chlorinated water or acetic acid (the main ingredient in
vinegar), and it was handled in a highly controlled environment
where it had little or no contact with other foods. So it's
probably freer of potential contaminants before you open the bag
than after.  And just think, you never have to feel guilty about
not washing pre-washed lettuce again.  Marge Perry Mar, 2010
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