QUESTION: Help!! My salad turns brown in my bowl! What is causing this to happen?

ANSWER: The most common reason for browning on lettuce is a chemical process known as oxidation. Enzymes activated by cutting the leaves or stems produce compounds that result in brown stains, especially at the base or anywhere the leaves are damaged during harvest and storage.

To help keep your salad looking fresh, do not use metal bowls when mixing salads. Use wooden, glass, china or melamine. And opt for cutting lettuce with a plastic knife, not metal.