Buying lettuce in pre-washed bags makes my life easier as I rush home from a long day at the office to prepare a home-cooked meal. However, the concern over E-coli continues with all growers and the debate about re-washing is confusing.  There are safety scholars who insist that leafy greens in sealed bags with the pre-washed label from a properly inspected facility do not need to be re-washed unless the label directs it. Food testers at Consumer Reports have urged consumers to be wary, "Even if the bag says 'pre-washed' or "triple-washed', wash it yourself!"  Some bags say "Triple washed. Rinse with cool water to refresh".

Leafy greens get contaminated with bacteria from the soil and irrigation water. They cannot be scrubbed like you would a piece of fruit, and you certainly can't remove the bacteria with heat like you would a piece of meat. So the "perfect wash" is high on the agenda for food companies and scientists - from using high power ultrasound to gas washes.  Fresh Express developed a Fresh Rinse that is a chlorine alternative.  Earthbound is testing a chlorine-free cleanser with a citrus base.  There are definitely people in the industry interested and commited to food safety while others simple don't want to spend the money. If we have more incidents like the one with Jack in the Box in 1993 and the more recent spinach outbreak in 2006, where in both cases several people died and hundreds became very ill, suppliers will not have a choice. 

Honestly, I think I am going to grow my own lettuce and tomatoes in the backyard.

http://www.MartaPerrone