Is it safe to leave mint leaves in unrefrigerated in water overnight?

Question

Instead of drinking plain water, I would like to start drinking water with mint. I plan to put several leaves of mint in a 1.5 liter bottle filled with tap water during the night, and drink the water during the following day.

So I would like to know, is it safe to leave the bottle un-refrigerated during the night?

Sorry, but health questions are off-topic here. The safety question is fine, though. — Cascabel, Oct 14 '17 at 21:10
It is more convenient since my refrigerator is already stuffed.. — Erel Segal Halevi, Oct 15 '17 at 05:30
Related: https://cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/59766/how-long-is-mint-infused-water-safe-to-drink?rq=1 — Cindy, Oct 15 '17 at 15:01

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 15 '17 at 22:44

If you drink the herbal water the next day, no significant decomposition will have occurred so it should be perfectly safe, healthful and tasty. I would first wash the plant material to minimize any bacteria and chemical contaminants leeching into the water.

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 16 '17 at 13:44

2

To slow decomposition of the leaves, I would suggest adding some ice, and using a thermally insulated container for this. However, a single night should be fine for the leaves overall.

answered Oct 16 '17 at 13:44

Incorporeal Logic

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Is it safe to leave mint leaves in unrefrigerated in water overnight?

2 Answers2