Bacterial Growth in Lettuce Increases Harmful Nitrite Levels During Storage
The study looked at how the levels of nitrate and nitrite in lettuce change during storage, and how this relates to the growth of bacteria. They found that the nitrate and nitrite levels in fresh lettuce stayed mostly the same whether stored in the fridge or at room temperature. However, when stir-fried lettuce was stored at room temperature, the nitrite levels increased due to bacterial growth. Refrigerated stir-fried lettuce did not show the same increase in nitrite levels.
