Bagged salads from supermarkets are a popular grocery item, but they can wilt and turn soggy quickly.
Pre-mixed salads often spoil quickly due to several factors related to processing, packaging, and storage.
Lettuce and leafy greens have a high water content, making them more prone to microbial growth and faster deterioration when exposed to moisture inside the bag.
The bag’s moist environment also creates an ideal breeding ground for bacteria, and such as E. coli, Salmonella, Listeria, and norovirus.
Leafy greens are highly perishable and require consistent refrigeration. Even brief temperature fluctuations during transportation or at home can speed up spoilage.
What’s more, once the bag is opened, it can causes the greens to spoil even faster so proper storage is essential.
The expert from Kitchen Tips Online shared a trick to absorbs moisture and slows spoilage of salad such as lettuce, rocket and other greens.
He said: “I like salad pre-mixed in a bag that I get from the store. The only problem is it tends to deteriorate quickly.”
He added that, when salad is stored correctly in the fridge, you can “keep it fresh for an extended amount of time. I’ve had mine last for as many as 15 days.”
According to the expert, bagged salad is often mixed with other vegetables, such as carrot, cabbage and beetroot, which causes them to naturally release a gas called ethylene.
“Once chopped up, they release it even faster causing the salad to spoil more quickly,” he said.
To slow down the process, the expert suggests splitting the salad into two ziplock bags with a seal.
He then recommends a device called a bluapple, which absorbs the ethylene gas which slows down ripening and extends the life of produce.
However, you can also use kitchen towel which you would arrange a layer of salad greens on top.
If the paper towels become very damp, replace them with fresh, dry ones. This ensures that the excess moisture is continuously absorbed, preventing sogginess.
