Preserving the Quality of Fruits & Vegetables during Storage

Instructions for Storage of F & V

 Fruits and vegetables don’t play well together – So don’t

store them together
 Vegetables need to breathe. Poke holes in the plastic bags
you store them in, or keep them in re-useable mesh bags.
 Don’t clean produce until you’re ready to use it. Washing
fruits or vegetables before storing them makes them more
likely to spoil, because dampness encourages bacteria
growth.
 Oranges stored in the fridge, should be placed in a mesh
bag so that air can circulate around them.
Never Store Together….
 GARLIC

• Store at room temperature in an open container, to allow air circulation.

• It’s fine to store garlic next to its buddy, the onion.
• Don’t remove the papery outsides until just before use, as it protects the
garlic.
 ONION
ONION

• Onions can be stored at room temperature on a countertop.

• Keep them away from potatoes.
• Don’t put them in the refrigerator: The humidity and cold temperature
will cause onions to turn mushy.
• Storing them away from light helps keep them from becoming bitter.
• Once the onion is cut, wrapping half an onion in plastic wrap would let it
stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks(you’ll probably want to
cut a layer off the exposed surface before you use it).
 POTATO
POTATO

• Store them in a paper bag in a dark, dry and cool place.

• Don’t refrigerate. The cold, damp air in the refrigerator causes
their starches to turn into sugars, which can affect taste and
texture.
• Keep them away from onions or fruits like apples that exude
ethylene gas, which can make your spuds begin to sprout.
• Sprouted potatoes are safe to eat, but you should remove the
sprouts themselves using the tip of a vegetable peeler or other
tools
 CARROTS
CARROTS

• First, trim off any green tops; they draw out moisture and cause
carrots to go limp pretty quickly.
• Trimmed, unpeeled carrots can be refrigerated in an unsealed
zip-top bag in refrigerator
• Trimmed carrots (such as baby-cut carrots or carrot sticks) will
last longer when kept submerged in a tightly covered container
filled with water. Change the water frequently.
 TOMATO
TOMATO

• A fresh tomato is undeniably delicious, but too much time in the fridge
can make it mushy and bland-tasting .
• As long as tomatoes are fully ripe, a few days in the fridge won't ruin
their flavor — and it will extend their shelf life.
• So let whole tomatoes ripen on the counter, then store them stem
side down on a plate in the refrigerator.
• Cut tomatoes do better in an airtight container so they don't pick up any
off-flavors.
• Let tomatoes come to room temperature before cooking/serving.
 ASPARAGUS
ASPARAGUS

• Trim a half-inch off the end of the stalks and then stand them up in
a small amount of water (covered loosely with a plastic bag) in the
refrigerator, like a bouquet.
• They stay fresh for about four days.
• Re-trim the ends before using.
 CUCUMBER

• They hate to be cold. Temperature below 11 0 C will cause them to spoil

faster
• If you must refrigerate them, do it for no more than three days
• Keep them away from bananas, melons and tomatoes.
 CELERY
CELERY

• To keep it crisp, refrigerate it wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, not

plastic wrap, so the ethylene gas it produces can escape.
• Re-wrap tightly after each use.
• Store celery sticks submerged in water in a tightly covered
container.
 MAIZE
MAIZE

• Don’t wrap the corn in a plastic or paper bag.

• If possible, store them toward the front of the fridge where it’s slightly
warmer
• Keep it in refrigerator with the husks on to keep in moisture. 
 BANANA

• Break up the bunch and wrap each stem in plastic wrap. That will
reduce the emission of ethylene gas, and the bananas will ripen
more slowly.
• Once a banana reaches the desired amount of ripeness, you can
refrigerate it; the cold will keep it from ripening further.
 AVACADO

• Avocados should be kept out of the fridge until they’re at their optimal
freshness
• If avocados are under-ripe, store them next to bananas. The gasses released
from the bananas promote ripening.
• If you need to extend the life of an avocado, store it in the refrigerator. It will
slow the ripening process significantly.
• Store the cut avocado with the seed intact in an airtight container along with a
sliver of a onion.
  
ROOT VEGETABLES

• To retain the nutrients, store root vegetables in a cool, dark, and humid
place.
• Place the veggies in a paper or plastic bag in the crisper.
• If you just toss them in the fridge—even in the crisper, they’ll soften
and rot a lot quicker.
 BERRIES

• Avoid washing them until you’re ready to eat them because moisture
equals mold.
• Store the berries loosely in a container that is ventilated, or leave the lid
partially opened.