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?
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.
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.
