Tips to keep fruits and vegetables fresh

If fruits and vegetables are not handled and stored properly, they can become contaminated with listeria, salmonella or other bacteria.

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables every day helps reduce the risk of many diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. But if they are not handled and stored properly, they can be contaminated with listeria, salmonella, or other bacteria. That's why learning how to wash and store fruits and vegetables is extremely important. According to Healthline, to keep fruits and vegetables fresh and avoid losing nutrients, you need to:

Washing fruits and vegetables

Most produce travels a long way before it reaches you. Fruits and vegetables can be exposed to harmful bacteria or other contaminants during transportation. This applies to even organic and pesticide-free foods.

To avoid harmful contaminants, always wash produce with clean water before eating. You can use a stiff brush to clean hard-skinned fruits and vegetables. The brush used to clean fruits and vegetables should not be used to clean other objects.

Always wash products with clean water before storing. Photo: Internet

If you are eating fruits or vegetables that have a waxy coating, make sure to use a paper towel or clean cloth to remove the wax after washing them. It is important to wash fruits and vegetables before eating them. However, it is best to store them unwashed, as excess moisture can cause them to spoil more quickly. If you wash them, dry them thoroughly before storing them.

Refrigerator storage

Different fruits and vegetables should be stored in different ways. According to experts at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Center, vegetables are typically stored in one of four ways:

- Keep cold (32-39 degrees F, or 0-4 degrees C), store in humidity.

- Store cool (40-50 degrees F, or 4.5-10 degrees C), store with humidity.

- Store refrigerated (32-39 degrees F, or 0-4 degrees C), dry.

- Store warm (50-60 degrees F, or 10-15.5 degrees C), dry.

Generally, your refrigerator should be kept at about 34 degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius). Vegetables are best stored in the refrigerator's crisper drawer. This is the compartment or drawer at the very bottom of most refrigerators. The crisper drawer is designed specifically to control humidity. If possible, store vegetables at the appropriate temperature and humidity for each type of vegetable.

- Produce that works best in a high-humidity, cold (or cool) environment includes apples, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, and eggplant.

- Vegetables should be stored in a cold and dry environment (low humidity) including garlic and onions.

- Root vegetables should be stored in a warm, dry environment: Peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes.

For safety reasons, you should refrigerate or freeze any washed and cut fruits or vegetables. Store these products in a special plastic bag or airtight container to retain freshness and limit exposure to air. Always make sure you separate vegetables from meat and dairy products to avoid bacterial contamination.

Frozen storage

Almost all fruits and vegetables can be frozen. Freezing can change the texture of many fruits and vegetables, but it often preserves their flavor, nutrients, and health benefits. It's a great way to store seasonal fruits or vegetables so they last through the end of the year.

It is best to freeze fruits and vegetables in airtight containers. Avoid freezing unripe fruits, as they may not ripen after being removed from the freezer.

Leafy greens that you intend to eat raw, such as lettuce and kale, should not be frozen.

Vegetables and fruits should be stored in a cool, dry place.

Some products that are best kept out of the refrigerator, in cool, dry places, include:

- Tomato.

- Banana.

- Potato.

- Lemon.

Do not store tomatoes in the refrigerator because it reduces nutritional content. Photo: Internet

Tomatoes are one of those things that can lose flavor and nutrients when you chill them in the refrigerator, and it can even change the texture to an undesirable degree.

Fruits generally do not need to be refrigerated. However, refrigeration will slow down the ripening process or help them stay fresh longer, so you can keep them longer. But once you have washed or cut your fruits and vegetables, always store them in your refrigerator or freezer.

According to PLO