Here is how to tell your lettuce has gone bad.
Lettuce is a popular vegetable among consumers. Due to its high volume of vitamins and minerals, as well as water, there is a lot of nutritional value in this food that makes it sell quickly. You have to be careful, though, because you only want to sell fresh, healthy lettuce to your consumers. This vegetable can go bad quicker than other vegetables, and it is more delicate than others too. Knowing when this vegetable goes bad is critical for ensuring that your consumers are never met with bad produce. Here is how to tell your lettuce has gone bad.
The Lettuce Leaves are Fuzzy
This is a common indicator of dying lettuce. You’ll start to notice that the leaves don’t have the same bright color that they used to have. When the color changes, it will typically go from green to either grey, black, or brown.
With that said, the type will also influence what colors signal that it’s dying. Varieties like iceberg and butter lettuce will start off either green or yellow. On the other hand, Radicchio lettuce will have leaves that are purple. Understanding what colors are healthy will make it easier to determine when lettuce is not healthy.
Bruised Leaves and Brown Spots
You don’t want to see any brown spots or bruises. Not only do they give it a bad taste, but they also show that something could be wrong with it. Usually, you’ll see bruises and brown spots if it has been stored for an extensive period of time or if it wasn’t handled the right way.
You Have Mushy, Slimy, or Soft Leaves
Healthy lettuce will have firm and crispy leaves. When your leaves deviate from this norm, it indicates that it has begun to rot. Keep track of your leaves, and take note if they begin to get slimy, soggy, and soft. If they do, it’s best to toss everything out and get fresh lettuce from a trustworthy distributor.
Yellowing Along the Outside of the Lettuce Head
A lettuce head will only be able to last for a few days. The best thing that is able to be done is to check your lettuce’s best-by date and store it properly in a fridge to extend its longevity.
Baywater Farms Has The Right Produce For You
Baywater Farms is a family-owned and operated farm servicing Baltimore, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware beaches, and the Eastern Shore. We are capable of meeting the demands of your produce distributor, restaurant produce supplier, CSA produce supplier, or wholesale produce supplier while maintaining the integrity and character of a small farm. When you work with Baywater Farms, you work with an experienced, ethical, and local farm dedicated to providing the highest-quality heirloom produce.