Dispelling the Myth
A lot of people, even celebrity chefs, extol the virtues of bagged produce, saying that you can then skip washing the produce in the sink, since it comes already triple-washed. Well, unfortunately, that’s not the case. In the recent issue of Cooking Light magazine, Catherine Donnelly, Ph.D. and Professor of Food Microbiology at the University of Vermont, says that “the distance most produce travels allows time for decay and spoilage.” So while manufacturers DO clean the greens before sending to your local grocery store, you still need to wash them as well. Additionally, bagged produce typically has a shorter shelf life, so you should eat yours by the third or fourth day of purchase.
