A set of people consume fresh produces, but fail to do it in proper means as it is meant to be. Tossing your fruits and vegetables randomly in your refrigerator by placing it on a countertop bowl is one of the greatest disfavors that you can do to yourself. Following are some of the things that you should be concentrating on, as you unpack your produce the next time.
In view of the fact that, just about all fruits and vegetables produce an odorless and invisible gas called ethylene, you should be careful about storing the produces that you store next to one another. Having said that, there are certain fruit types that produce more of this gas which is a ripening agent, so it is important to make sure that you follow certain things!
Storing fresh produces next to sensitive veggies that radiates high levels of ethylene will cause surrounding produce to spoil and even prematurely ripen because of the concentrated exposure.
- Since fruits are prone to produce more of this gas, a good rule of thumb is to keep vegetables separate from fruits. Fruits high in ethylene should not be refrigerated and there are chances for the flavor to get affected if it is refrigerated before they are fully seasoned. Following are the fruit type that fall into this category and it includes: bananas, avocados, plums, kiwis, mangos, pineapple, pears, tomatoes, nectarines and peaches.
- Exuding a darker skin appearance, storing bananas in the fridge before it’s fully ripe will cause everything next to it smell like bananas.
- When refrigerated, apple, grapes and cherries are said to last longer. In general, before storage, it is good to wash the fruits as it usually accelerated their deterioration. As with berries, you can go with a vinegar wash (a proportion of 1:3 vinegar/water ratios will help). It also helps destroy bacteria and mold spores on the berries. Once you are done with the process, store them in a sealable container with the lid slightly open for air circulation. Tomatoes should always be stored unwashed at room temperature.
- Until its ready to use, do not take away the thin and white outer layer. Store them in an open basket at room temperature.
- Ethylene can work to your advantage if you wanted the fruits to be ripened faster. Ensure that you do not store for a longer period of time, as it does not guarantee safety concerns and the taste and texture will suffer. At the same time, it is also vital to keep your freezer at zero degrees or colder to avoid deteriorating food quality.
- Prior to the storage, remove knots, incase you are storing in a bag; make sure it has a few holes to allow for air flow.
- Let it be packed loosely; the closer they are, the quicker they will spoil.
- Just like garlic, even mushrooms should not be washed until right before they are ready to use.
- As far as the herbs are concerned, wash and dry them and cut off the ends.
