Bagged Lettuce Preservatives. The rinsed and dried leaves are then bagged in a modified atmospheric pressure MAP bag that has had the oxygen nitrogen and carbon dioxide levels changed to reduce the rate of deterioration of the product and enhance shelf life. When lettuce has been washed cut and packaged it tends to go spoil more quickly.
On top of that a lot more steps are required to get bagged lettuce from the harvesting stage to your local grocery store which means more opportunities for contamination. The thin plastic bag that houses most salad greens offers little protection from rolling peppers and heavy fruits also occupying the crisper drawer. The lettuce is sold in supermarkets 3-4 days after packing though this can be extended to 10 days.
If you take your lettuce right from the store and rinse it and dry itand then if you rip it into bite-sized pieces before you store ityoure going to increase the antioxidant activity.
Our favorite vessel is an airtight plastic container. Years ago lettuce and raw vegetables at salad bars were dipped in a sulfite solution to keep them from turning brown. Sometimes preservatives are used to maintain freshness or the bags are punched with special holes that allow it to respire or breathe but lets face it. On top of that a lot more steps are required to get bagged lettuce from the harvesting stage to your local grocery store which means more opportunities for contamination.
