METHOD FOR CLEANING, PACKING, AND TRANSPORTING VEGETABLES
A method for processing common headed varieties of vegetables such as iceberg lettuce so as to remove all dirt, insects, and other debris from the vegetable and to allow shipping and transport of the vegetable while preserving the characteristics and versatility of the vegetable in a fresh form. The method comprises harvesting (10) the vegetable at or near maturity and then coring the vegetable (12). A plurality of cored and separated leaves are then washed and dried (16). The plurality of cored and separated leaves are maintained in a cool environment, preferably from 32 to 55 degrees F. The cored and separated leaves are then packaged (22) in a permeable film or membrane sealed container allowing for the interchange of atmospheric gasses and gasses from the interior of the film or container.