See the actual letter.
This call, signed by some 30 rabbonim in America including
many who are very involved in kashrus matters, applies to pre-
washed vegetables prepared and sold in America, and not to
Israeli washed and hothouse vegetables grown with special
precautions.
It says that insects have been found consistently green leafy
vegetables, even those with kashrus supervision including pre-
washed romaine lettuce, romaine hearts and romaine mixes, for
example, European, Italian, and greener selection; and fresh
leafy salads, including spring mix and baby spinach —
of all companies, even those packaged and sealed with
hechsherim by individual rabbis or kashrus organizations,
WITHOUT EXCEPTION. Therefore such vegetables should not be
eaten or served without each leaf being individually
checked.
This does not apply to pre-washed iceberg lettuce and
cabbage.
It also does not apply to vegetables grown in special
greenhouses with a quality hechsher and the guidance of
expert rabbonim.
* * *
See the actual letter.
In this short noted issued last week, HaRav Moshe Vaye, noted
insect expert, said that he personally visited many vegetable
washing plants in America and he found that the methods used
are not effective in removing all the bugs from romaine
lettuce, spinach, parsley and the like — and therefore
they should not be eaten. He stressed to Yated that this does
not apply to Israeli vegetables grown in special conditions.
He also told Yated that proper washing can be effective for
cabbage and iceberg lettuce.
