# Why do grocers mist the produce? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106 "2002-12-16T17:18:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/1 "2002-12-16T17:18:37Z")
Does misting the produce really make the veggies last longer on the shelf? Just look good? Or, just piss of the customers getting misted, too? Personally, I thought wet veggies rot… And, if they don’t rot on the grocer’s shelf faster when wet (and if this is true, why), don’t damp veggies rot faster in the bag in which you bring them home? Or, maybe the grocer doesn’t care once their YOUR veggie’s and YOUR shelf life problems! - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Young\_Mr.Grace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e47c2d/32.png) [@Young\_Mr.Grace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Young_Mr.Grace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/2 "2002-12-16T17:21:18Z")
Probably because they absorb the moisture and look “fuller” or “plumper”. Personally, I’d rather my cucumber be shriveled than rotten. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/3 "2002-12-16T17:35:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Young Mr. Grace \* > \*\*Personally, I’d rather my cucumber be shriveled than rotten. \*\* Wait until you’re _Old_ Mr. Grace; it’ll be plenty shriveled then 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/4 "2002-12-16T17:42:15Z")
A related question: Why do some stores use a recording of a thunder roll to announce the “mist” (Mist? Hah! It’s more like Niagara Falls.) is going to start? ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/5 "2002-12-16T18:27:09Z")
Of course if you get the salad mix, you’re paying about $4 a pound for that water they just soaked it with. What we do to alleviate this somewhat is, after putting the salad greens in a bag, we put in a paper towel or two and then gently shake it and let the paper towels absorb a lot of the moisture. Then discard the wet, paper towels. You’d be surprised how much the towels weigh after that. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2002, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/6 "2002-12-16T19:16:40Z")
Wet veggies that can’t dry out will rot, but vegetables just sitting out on the display shelves have plenty of opportunity to have the moisture evaporate - they’re not closed-in like being in a fridge. I would guess that the “thunder” sound effect is used as a pleasant-sounding but distinct way to alert customers that the misters were coming on, so that someone doesn’t get their silk blouse or whatever all wet. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-grocers-mist-the-produce/143106/7 "2002-12-17T02:20:04Z")
I think they should use a loud klaxon and a recorded voice saying, **“WARNING!! WARNING!!”** Heh - that’d be cool. I have considered taking a salad spinner to the store with me so I wouldn’t have to pay so much for salad mix (or parsley or cilantro or any of that lightweight stuff). Of course, the first thing I do when I get it home is to dry it so it won’t rot.