The clearest sign basil has spoiled is darkening and softening leaves: fresh basil stands upright with bright green leaves, while spoiling leaves first darken at the edges with blackish patches, then wilt completely and shrivel. How do you tell wilting apart from real spoilage?Basil that's simply dried out wilts but its leaves are still green; put in water, it can perk back up within a few hours. Real spoilage is irreversible: the leaves don't perk up even in water, the texture turns glassy and mushy, and brown-black patches spread permanently along the edges. Checking the stem tips also helps; fresh basil has firm, green stems, while spoiling bunches develop slimy stems that cave in under light pressure. That sliminess is a sign bacteria have started growing on the stem. Not every leaf in a bunch spoils at once; leaves packed into the middle, without airflow, usually darken before the ones on the outside. That's why loosening the leaves a little after buying a bunch, so air can reach between them, delays the middle leaves from spoiling early. What does a change in smell tell you?Fresh basil gives off a sharp, sweet scent when rubbed. If that scent fades and gives way to something musty or close to ammonia, the basil has lost most of its freshness; basil at that stage won't deliver the aroma a dish is counting on. Basil that leaves a bitter or metallic taste when chewed has also lost its freshness; fresh basil should always taste sweet and refreshing. A thin, whitish fuzzy layer on the leaves is mold, and the whole bunch should be discarded; picking out the moldy leaves and keeping the rest isn't enough, since mold spores can have spread through the bunch already. How does storage affect how long basil lasts?Standing the stems in water like cut flowers and covering loosely with a bag on the counter keeps basil fresher for longer than the fridge does; with this method basil can stay lively for 5–7 days. Fridge cold darkens basil leaves quickly, so unlike most greens, basil doesn't do well refrigerated. Changing the water every 2 days delays bacterial growth in the water and the sliminess that follows at the stem tips. Leaving the bag loose rather than fully sealed also keeps the leaves from sweating and darkening early. In short, irreversible darkening, slimy stems, a fuzzy mold layer, or a smell close to ammonia together mean the basil has spoiled; mild wilting, on the other hand, is something water can revive, and doesn't mean the basil has to be thrown out. Most other greens like mint and parsley hold up fine in the fridge, so basil not following that rule makes it one of the more delicate herbs in the kitchen. Trimming the stem end at a slight angle increases the surface that draws up water — a small trick known to make the water-storage method work just a bit better. Taking the bunch out of its plastic wrap as soon as you get it home and switching to that method keeps it fresh far longer than leaving it sealed in the store bag.
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Suyu iki günde bir değiştirmeye başlayınca fesleğenim gerçekten 5-7 gün taze kaldı, önceden birkaç günde soluyordu. Sap uçlarının kaygan olmadığını görünce artık zamanında değiştirdiğimi anlıyorum.
Fesleğeni her zamanki gibi buzdolabına koydum, iki gün sonra yapraklar kenarlarından simsiyah kesilmişti. Meğer buzdolabı fesleğen için uygun değilmiş, bir daha tezgâhta suda tutmayı deneyeceğim.
Haklısınız, fesleğen soğuğa karşı oldukça hassastır ve buzdolabında yaprakları hızla kararır. Saplarını suya batırıp gevşek bir poşetle örterek tezgâhta saklarsanız çok daha uzun taze kalır.