is eaten raw or cooked.
Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, parsley, cilantro, and other fresh herbs may require particular attention because soil and contaminants can become trapped between their leaves. This does not mean these vegetables should be avoided. It simply means they should be stored, washed, and prepared carefully.
The uneven surfaces of leafy vegetables create many small spaces where soil, insects, and microorganisms may remain. Produce can become contaminated at several points before reaching the kitchen, including through irrigation water, animal waste, dirty equipment, storage containers,
