Storage

Lettuce is a delicate vegetable and proper storage is crucial for maintaining its freshness. Storing lettuce is quite an uphill task as its leaves are prone to bruising if roughly handled. Moreover, greens do not last for long. Hence, you should give up the idea of stocking lettuce for future use. Iceberg and romaine lettuce can be stored for up to 10 days and red and green leaf lettuces for about 4 days. The best way to store lettuce is to keep it unwashed in an airtight container or plastic bag and store it in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Also ensure to keep it away from ethylene gas producing fruits such as apples, bananas or pears as they accelerate the deterioration of lettuce by increasing brown spots on the leaves and causing spoilage. Bunches of lettuce should be checked for insects and the leaves having roots should be placed in a glass of water with a bag over the leaves and stored in the refrigerator.