How do I wash Romaine salads throughly to remove bacteria?

should I add vinegar to the water to disinfect it?

I use water then my tongue, then the diegestive tract cleans the rest.

The Center for Food Safety in Georgia says that lettuce is probably originally contaminated in the field with polluted irrigation water or animal manures.

They found that E. coli cells favor the cut edges of lettuce. "The edges of cut lettuce pieces had tremendous numbers of attached E. coli cells. The bruised areas did, too."

So wash it again and trim any bruises and cut edges.

They didn't recommend using bleach on the food.

Sue

Water with a splash of vinegar or a few drops of bleach in a good sized container. Some people advocate a drop or two of a mild dish soap to help the water get to the leaves. I don't use soap. Dunk and agitate well but without bruising. Spread the leaves so the solution gets to the inner leaves. Use a salad spinner to remove the solution. Then repeat with plain water. Spin mostly dry. Bag and use as needed.

Trim the lettuce of pre-cut ends, tears and bruises, then immerse in a cold water bath with a food grade surfactant (made for washing fruits and vegetables in) and agitate gently for a dozen or so seconds, then rinse under cold running water. Dress with a vinagrette or good italian dressing liberally, which should have a similar disinfecting effect as vinegar in the rinse water.

I am still an advocate of irradiating fresh food. It does nothing to the taste, texture, or quality of the food, and doesn't make it radioactive either, but can wholly eliminate any remaining pathogens.

i concur with benjamin, but buy a salad spinner to spin all the excess water out of the greens so you dont end up with a soupy salad. Spinners are great for iceburg, spinach, kale, and just about any other green leafy vegetable.

Salad spinners are great. But if you don't have one handy you can always use the 'bachelor' salad spinning method. Put the lettuce in a bag, puncture with lots of holes, and spin wildly.

Where can I buy an "Q-34 Lettuce Irradiator" (think Marvin the Martian of Bugs Bunny fame)

Delicate cycle, cold water, Woolite. Spin dry on low heat, or hang on a line to dry.