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Why does the Earthbound Farms boxed salad go bad so quickly?


ILiveInFlipFlops
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Or, alternatively, why does the Fresh Express salad last so long?

 

For years I bought Earthbound Farms organic boxed salad, and it would always start to go slimy within a day or so and would be completely unusable within 4-5 days. I just assumed it was the cost of buying such a big box. However, recently, I've been buying Fresh Express organic salad mix at BJ's, and it lasts much longer. Do you think it's sprayed with something to keep it fresh? Why else would it last so much longer? I'm mystified by this and am kind of worried about whether they treat it with something, because DH and I rely pretty heavily on it for our lunches. Is that even possible?

 

Anyone have any insight on this?

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  • To ensure the ultimate in freshness, we tenderly rush lettuces from the field to coolers within hours of harvest.

  • Our salads are thoroughly washed, rinsed and gently dried, then sealed in our patented "Keep-Crisp®†breathable bag to keep their just-picked freshness without preservatives.

  • Fresh Express has been recognized numerous times for our comprehensive food safety system used to protect our customers.

http://www.freshexpress.com/about/fresh-facts

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I find that it depends on how quickly the stock rotates. I used to have the same problem when buying the big boxes at the co-op. Since the we've stopped shopping at the co-op and instead go to a high voume gorcery store where the turnover rates for vegetables is higher. I have much greater luck at this store. I'm also careful when buying and only buy ones where the dates are quite a ways out.

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If I want it to last, I don't buy the bagged either.  When I do, I always check the date.  I find that the ones with a later date do last longer.  And I've also had better luck with some brands over others.  And some greens seem to do better than others.  Spinach seems to do okay.  Arugula is also a better bet.  Baby romaine is just doomed to slime.  Anything red is going to slime faster.  What's that all about?  Anyway, that's what I've seen.

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I think it has to do with handling more than anything.  Some bags/boxes are great even past their expiration dates and some are slim the day I get them home from the store.  It seems as though if the leaves are damaged they go bad much quicker.

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I found it related to being packed too tightly. If I remove some to serve or another bag and fluff up what remains, it doesn't go bad as fast. Fluffing each time also helps me see if anything needs take out right away but mostly I found that fluffing made it last longer in general.

 

Not related to specific brands.

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I found it related to being packed too tightly. If I remove some to serve or another bag and fluff up what remains, it doesn't go bad as fast. Fluffing each time also helps me see if anything needs take out right away but mostly I found that fluffing made it last longer in general.

 

Not related to specific brands.

 

 

I tend to fluff, too, and it does seem to help the larger boxes.

 

It also depends on which store I purchase at.  Regardless of the sell-by date, Earthbound slimes out more quickly from certain groceries.  I wonder if it gets too cold or too warm at some point in the handling process, or something else is going on that damages it.

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I found it related to being packed too tightly. If I remove some to serve or another bag and fluff up what remains, it doesn't go bad as fast. Fluffing each time also helps me see if anything needs take out right away but mostly I found that fluffing made it last longer in general.

 

Not related to specific brands.

 

So my squishing the bag to squeeze out all the air probably isn't a good idea? 

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For boxed salad mix I put in a paper towel to wick the moisture away when I open it. I change it everyday.(mostly.) It has double/tripled the time I can get out of it depending on how quickly I am eating it. Tightly packed moist salad greens rot very quickly. 

 

I have not been able to get this to work with bag ones though.

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