We all assume those “prewashed” bags of salad greens are good to go and ready to serve, but think again.

Consumer Reports’ latest tests of packaged leafy greens found bacteria that are common indicators of poor sanitation and fecal contamination, in some cases, at rather high levels. The story appears in the March 2010 issue of Consumer Reports and is also available free online.  Although the latest tests did not disclose any E coli or salmonella, they did discover high levels of coliforms and enterococcus.

What you can do to Protect yourself and your family:

• Buy packages of Greens that are as far from their use-by date as you can find.
• Even if the bag says “prewashed” or “triple-washed,” wash the greens yourself.  Rinsing won’t remove all bacteria but it may remove some bacteria.
• Prevent cross contamination by keeping greens away from raw meat.  For more information, go to www.ConsumersUnion.org/safefood.