Leaf lettuce is worse than other herbs. Its leaves are softer, easier to lose moisture and rot. The ideal conservation option is to provide conditions close to the natural environment, i.e. full root nutrition, sufficient humidity, moderate or low temperature.
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You will need
- - container or pan
- - towel, sieve or colander
- - wet towel
Instruction manual
1
First, cut the roots, sort the greens, removing the damaged parts. Rinse the salad thoroughly under running water, separating the leaves. It is better to wash with cold water, up to 18 ° C.
2
Dry the salad by placing the leaves on a towel, colander or sieve. Excess water during storage will contribute to decay even at low temperatures.
3
Place the salad in a container with low sides, and preferably a double bottom, the top of which with openings for water drainage. This is important if you did not have the time or opportunity to let water drain onto a towel. If the water is glass with leaves, you can put them in a pan. Better vertically, with a slice down.
4
Cover the salad container with a damp, clean towel. It is not recommended to cover with cling film, as it will interfere with air exchange and stimulate spoilage. It should also not be left open, because lettuce leaves will dry faster, because the air circulation in the refrigerator is significant.
5
Place the container (or pan) in the refrigerator, the desired storage temperature + 4 ° C. Sort leaf lettuce every day, removing perishable leaves. So you can extend the shelf life up to 5 days. Remember that greens are perishable products, and their shelf life (after cleaning and washing) vary from 18 to 24 hours at a storage temperature of + 4 / -2 ° C.
6
Store unprocessed lettuce at a temperature of 0C, laying tightly in a box or basket. It is very sensitive to air humidity: at low rates (60-70%) it quickly fades, at high (over 90%) it grows moldy. So the optimum moderate humidity (80-90%).
Useful advice
Put mashed garlic in a container with herbs to slow down the breakdown of vitamins in leafy vegetables. You can also try the "bouquet method". To do this, make a fresh cut on the roots of the salad and put several of its bundles in a container of water. Water should reach only the petioles of the leaves. Change the water daily or every two days.