Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good?

At the vegetable market, I noticed some sellers cutting away the wilted parts of lettuce, to sell much smaller, but green portions. I wonder if they are cheating me, or if that is normal procedure.

In some cases, the edges of the leaves were brown or had holes, and they trimmed the edges with scissors.
In other cases, the entire exterior leaves looked really bad, and they just removed the outside, to sell the inside which was still green.

Is it still okay to buy this lettuce? When I find that this has happened to the lettuce I bought, should I similarly cut away these portions and still eat the part inside that is still green?

Best Answer

Yes it is still good.

A lettuce that is kept outside (as in a farmer's market) will get wilted outer leaves, and the merchant will usually cut them off to make the heads nicer.

Depending on the resulting size; if they cut out too much compared to other lettuces, I might ask for a lower price if sold by the unit.

Personally, I will buy the lettuce with as much of the outer leaves as possible, even if I remove them at home, they will act as an outside protection against the elements.

Pictures about "Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good?"

Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good? - Gray Cat Near Gray Vase With Sunflower

Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good? - Rectangular Green Swiss-cheese Leafed Plant Photo Mounted on Wall

Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good? - Turned on Flat Screen Led Television

Quick Answer about "Is the lettuce inside the wilted outer leaves still good?"

1 Answer. Show activity on this post. Yes it is still good. A lettuce that is kept outside (as in a farmer's market) will get wilted outer leaves, and the merchant will usually cut them off to make the heads nicer.

Is it OK to eat slightly wilted lettuce?

Lettuce wilts right before it begins to turn brown. You will have to discard it or find a use for it right away. Wilted lettuce is safe to eat if it hasn't begun rotting. You can try soaking it in ice water for up to 30 minutes, which may restore its crispness.

How do you know lettuce is bad?

How to Tell If Lettuce Is Bad?

Slimy or soft leaves. If the whole thing is soft and wet, and the leaves are darker than usual, discard it. That's the reason you will throw out your lettuce 99 out of 100 times.

An off smell. If it smells bad, it's done for.

Can you do anything with wilted lettuce?

Place the Produce in Ice Water. For most produce, you can submerge the food in a bucket or large bowl of ice water. Then, put the container with the vegetables in the fridge to keep the water cool. Let the food soak for 15 to 30 minutes.

Why does lettuce go limp in the fridge?

Lettuce gets soft and limp because it loses water. Fruits and vegetables are mostly water, with iceberg lettuce at 96% water. In the fridge, lettuce and other greens lose water to the air, the cells that hold the water shrink, and the outward appearance is wilted and limp.

Oh! My lettuce leaves are wilting, drooping and loosing strength

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Lisa, Cats Coming, Emma Pollard, Designecologist