How long until vegetables die, after adding dressing (vinaigrette)?

[skyhskyh]

How long till the Vegetables die? after put on dressing (vinaigrette):

Situation (in a restaurant kitchen):

I accidentally put vinaigrette dressings on the salad vegetables because I thought there was an order. Realising that there was actually no order, I put this salad on the side thinking I could re-use it later in the night. (it was only approx. the start of the service time)

The head chef took the salad, told me that it will die and threw away.

I want to find out whether this is true or not? in my opinion, it won't (if using it later in the night)

Assuming that there will be salad order and assume that the salad order will be say 2 hrs later, will the vegetables be already dead or "not desirable" at all?

thanks in advance

[Mjx]

The oil in the vinaigrette will begin breaking down the waxy cuticle/cell walls almost immediately, so, depending on precisely what is in the salad (i.e. tender v. more robust greens), the greens in particular will often show visible signs of wilting within 15 minutes.

[skyhskyh]

Just those "mix garden salads" we can buy in Melbourne markets

[Mjx]

Check McGee's The Curious Cook for a full discussion of the effects of oil on the breakdown, leading to wiliting of salad greens; unfortunately, all my books are in moving boxes at the moment.

However, the takeaway is that if you want salads to be at their best, dress them as soon before serving as possible: When you have a mix of greens, the more delicate ones may start to wilt in as few as 15 minutes, sometimes less.