When is lettuce bad to eat

All types of lettuce belong in the refrigerator, preferably in the crisper drawer. Keep lettuce away from any ethylene-producing fruit and vegetables , such as apple, pear, avocado, tomato, etc. No excess moisture — Before tossing lettuce into the fridge, make sure to dry and remove any excess moisture. When lettuce is wet, it spoils more quickly. Heads of lettuce last slightly longer. Wrapping it with a paper towel also helps to absorb any excess moisture. For loose-leaf lettuce, store it in a sealed container.

Line up some paper towels on the bottom of the box, place the leaves, and line more paper towels on top. Remove any wilted or mushy leaves, if any. The storage instruction is straightforward. As long as the package is unopened, simply keep it in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, transfer into a container and store it similarly with loose leaf lettuce. As lettuce ages, it starts to wilt.

It loses its firm texture and becomes soft. After this, lettuce will turn brown. At this point, you can still use the lettuce before it starts rotting. For head lettuce, cut out the outer leaves that look wilted or brown. Check the inner leaves.

If they look perfectly fine, feel free to use them. With loose-leaf lettuce, you can do the same if the mushy leaf is just one or two leaves. However, if the damaged parts are massive, better to get rid of it. When the spoilage gets further away, the leaves will smell off or rotten, or too watery.

Lettuce is a perishable and delicate item. It needs proper refrigeration and handling. When it bruises, it also goes bad very quickly.

At first you may think that you have indigestion, but as symptoms develop it will become apparent that a more serious condition is occurring. Symptoms may come on suddenly and violently. Most cases of food poisoning from lettuce are harmless and do not cause any long-term damage to your body. Food poisoning is considered a serious condition for infants, the elderly and people with immune system disorders.

You can get food poisoning from eating lettuce even if the lettuce isn't directly contaminated. For example, if you cut your lettuce with the same knife you used to cut raw meat, you can cross-contaminate lettuce with a bacteria from the meat. Lettuce can also become contaminated if it is handled by hands that have not been properly washed with soap and water. Cutting boards, utensils and other tools that haven't been cleaned properly can contaminate the lettuce.

You can also get food poisoning from lettuce that is rotten. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , raw lettuce and sprouts are common sources of E. Common symptoms of E. People usually develop symptoms three or four days after consuming a contaminated food, and feel better within five to seven days.

You can reduce your risk of developing foodborne illnesses by following the FDA 's food safety guidelines. Be sure to keep your hands, utensils and food prep surfaces clean. Always rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running water, and use a clean brush to scrub produce. Another important food safety rule is to keep raw meat and seafood away from fresh produce, especially anything you plan to eat without cooking first. Ensure your food is properly stored, with raw meat and seafood in leakproof containers to avoid contamination.

Experts say there's no direct link between brown lettuce and food poisoning risks. Berkeley Wellness explains that lettuce leaves can turn brown when they have been bruised or cut because exposure to air triggers oxidation.

According to the University of California Statewide IPM Program , another cause of lettuce browning is tipburn, usually linked to rapid growth or soil water stress. Brown or black spots on lettuce could also be caused by a process called russet spotting.