HowLongFreshHowLongFresh
Back to FAQ List
🛡️Food Safety

Do You Have to Wash Bagged Salad That's Been Prewashed?

HowLongFresh ExpertJul 24, 2025

Key Points

  • How Long Can Salad Sit Out Before It Becomes Unsafe To Eat

Overview

No — as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration points out, you do not have to re-wash salads that are labeled as prewashed and ready-to-eat. In fact, by re-washing a prewashed bagged salad, you might actually be doing more harm than good, says the FDA. That’s because you could contaminate the already-clean salad by further handling it — for instance, by forgetting to wash your hands before rinsing the salad or letting the salad come into contact with an unclean sink. If you still feel the need to wash a prewashed salad, you should take care to avoid any cross contamination. That includes thoroughly washing your hands before rinsing the salad and cleaning any sinks, countertop and utensils that will come into contact with the salad before you wash it. How Long Can Salad Sit Out Before It Becomes Unsafe To Eat?Long-Lasting Produce Stock up and enjoy Your Questions Answered Steak that's changed color

Key Points

  • How Long Can Salad Sit Out Before It Becomes Unsafe To Eat

This information applies to: beef, chicken, cranberry, eggs, ground beef, hamburger, pie, potatoes, salad, shrimp, steak, stuffing, turkey

Tags

cooking expiration freezing leftovers refrigeration safety storage thawing

Related Foods

beef
chicken
cranberry
eggs
ground beef
hamburger
pie
potatoes
salad
shrimp
steak
stuffing
turkey