Do You Need to Wash Bagged Lettuce?

Most people are aware that foods like meats and eggs come with a risk of foodborne illness if they’re not properly handled and prepared. And as the latest multistate outbreak of cyclosporiasis demonstrates, fruits and vegetables carry their own risks of contamination. That includes packaged produce like bagged lettuce.

Also known as “triple-washed lettuce,” these leafy greens are popular salad starters. They’ve also been linked to multiple outbreaks of foodborne illness over the past few years. In fall 2019, public health officials linked three multistate outbreaks of E. coli to fresh bagged leafy greens, while an E. coli outbreak in April 2018 that killed five people was linked to romaine lettuce.

The sometimes dicey history of bagged lettuce, coupled with the recent cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to prepackaged greens, is raising questions about how to safely consume bagged lettuce. Do you have to wash prewashed lettuce or can you simply eat it straight out of the package? Three food safety experts weigh in.

What is triple-washed lettuce?

Triple-washed lettuce has gone through three separate cleaning cycles before it is packaged, says food safety expert Ellen Shumaker, PhD, director of outreach for the Safe Plates program at North Carolina State University. “This is done to remove as much soil and potential contaminants as possible and is done multiple times because there are so many crevices and nooks of leafy greens,” she explains. 

The cleaning steps usually start with washing the produce with water, followed by two sets of rinses that contain water and a sanitizer, Shumaker says. “The sanitizers used are very specific and require approval by the Environmental Protection Agency to be used on fruits and vegetables,” she says. After that, the lettuce is dried and packaged.

Do you need to wash bagged lettuce?

Under typical circumstances, you do not need to wash bagged lettuce. “If the package is labeled ‘triple-washed,’ ‘prewashed,’ or ‘ready-to-eat,’ additional washing is generally not required,” says Wade Syers, DSocSci, extension specialist for food safety at Michigan State University Extension.

In fact, washing your triple-washed lettuce at home is generally considered a bad idea. “Additional washing at home can introduce contamination from sinks, colanders, countertops, cutting boards, or hands,” Syers says. “In some cases, it could do more harm than good.”

There is a caveat: During the cyclosporiasis outbreak of 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people wash any fresh produce thoroughly under water before eating it. 

“If you do wash it, be sure to wash your hands before and after handling, and to use clean utensils and equipment when washing,” Shumaker says. (You can dry your lettuce with a clean salad spinner or paper towels, Syers says.)

How to use bagged lettuce during a cyclosporiasis outbreak

If an outbreak is happening, it’s important to follow guidance from federal and state health officials. Amid the 2026 cyclosporiasis outbreak, this includes avoiding the lettuce products that Taylor Farms recalled in 27 states according to the FDA. 

When a cyclosporiasis outbreak is tied to bagged lettuce, it’s best to purchase whole heads of lettuce, according to Shumaker and Kalmia E. Kniel, PhD, professor, and chair of microbial food safety at the University of Delaware. “Remove the outer leaves, discard them, wash your hands, and then prepare your salad, making sure to wash the lettuce before consuming,” Kniel says.

While local produce isn’t guaranteed to be free of pathogens until the source of an outbreak has been identified, Kniel says that purchasing lettuce from your local farmers market is often a safer choice during a multistate outbreak. 

Under normal circumstances, however, food safety experts agree you can use your prewashed lettuce right away for salads, sandwiches, and beyond.