Can my piggies eat romaine lettuce with pink stuff on it?

Popcorns & Wheeks

Popcorns & Wheeks

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi all, for the past few months every shopping delivery I get, I seem to be getting romaine lettuce that is covered in pink stuff. As I have one piggie who suffers with flare ups of bloat and another who has cystitis, I have been very cautious and have been throwing most of the leaves away and am basically left with a quarter of the lettuce which is frustrating. So I just wanted to ask if anyone else has had this problem and wether or not the pink parts are safe for piggies to eat? Thanks.
 
I find sometimes if the outer leaves have damaged they turn a pinkish colour where the break is, which I think is just oxidation. I'm not sure if this is what you mean tho.
 
If it's pink down the stem not on the leaves I cut the stems out and throw them away. I've not bought lettuce for a few weeks as they seem to be getting worse, having just gone back to buying them due to poor quality all summer. This happens when they are bruised, I imagine from being packed too tight. If the leaves are marked I wouldn't feed it, it's going off.
 
Pound Shilling & Pig said:
I find sometimes if the outer leaves have damaged they turn a pinkish colour where the break is, which I think is just oxidation. I'm not sure if this is what you mean tho.
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This is what I wondered what was meant by pinkish.
If it’s just the stems, I just remove that part and feed the rest of it
 
I’ve seen this too! Lots of romaine hearts damaged at the bottom. It looks to me like they have been bashed and is has caused a sort of bruising and the whole stem part sort of oxidises. When I’ve seen it, it usually follows the “veins” of the leaf and is limited to the outer layers.
 
Yes I’ve had this on my romaine and butterhead lettuces - I go by if I wouldn’t eat that part why should the piggies - I cut those bits off and compost them
 
Yes, this sounds like what I have tried to explain however it is not just the stem, it can travel along the veins as @Pantalaimon mentioned and be on the leaf itself. It is usually just the outer leaves but lately it has sort of soaked right through into the middle so the poor piggies are getting the very small, yellowish leaves right in the middle. What a waste, I am buying 3 double packs a week and more than half of it is going in the bin. I am actually running out of it quickly. So I am guessing I am doing the right thing, throwing the pink bits away?
 
Popcorns & Wheeks said:
Yes, this sounds like what I have tried to explain however it is not just the stem, it can travel along the veins as @Pantalaimon mentioned and be on the leaf itself. It is usually just the outer leaves but lately it has sort of soaked right through into the middle so the poor piggies are getting the very small, yellowish leaves right in the middle. What a waste, I am buying 3 double packs a week and more than half of it is going in the bin. I am actually running out of it quickly. So I am guessing I am doing the right thing, throwing the pink bits away?
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I haven’t seen it that badly! I am not 100% sure but I think that if it doesn’t smell or isn’t slimy (so it is literally just oxidised) then it should be ok. The best thing to do it give it a taste yourself to see if it is ok or not. I will usually remove any badly affected leaves but then either cut some bits out or use the less affected leaves, but I do make my veg days in advance and store it prepared in the fridge, this means that by the time I get to my last tub (third day after preparing) the stems of the lettuce pieces have gone brown on the edges anyway.
 
Popcorns & Wheeks said:
Yes, this sounds like what I have tried to explain however it is not just the stem, it can travel along the veins as @Pantalaimon mentioned and be on the leaf itself. It is usually just the outer leaves but lately it has sort of soaked right through into the middle so the poor piggies are getting the very small, yellowish leaves right in the middle. What a waste, I am buying 3 double packs a week and more than half of it is going in the bin. I am actually running out of it quickly. So I am guessing I am doing the right thing, throwing the pink bits away?
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This is what I'm finding, and why I've stopped buying it. It's not just romaine either it's all types. I've planted some winter lettuce hoping it germinates, this summers lettuce crop was very disappointing, I think the hot weather affected it.
 
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