Avocados are handy to have in your fridge to spread on toast or to make into a dip for nachos but many people do not realise they are storing them wrong. It is common for people on social media to store avocados in water to prolong their freshness but experts at Avocados Love One Today have warned this encourages bacteria to make its way into the fruit.
They said: “Storing any fruit in water may allow residual human pathogens like listeria or salmonella on the fruit’s exterior to multiply when submerged in water. This storage hack puts you at risk for foodborne illnesses, negating their goodness.” Instead, an easier and safer way to keep avocado slices fresher for longer is to brush a little lemon juice on them.
It may seem bizarre, but avocados begin to spoil and go brown due to oxidation, which is when oxygen reacts to the enzymes in avocados so it begins to go bad.
Oxidation only begins when the flesh inside avocados is cut and exposed to oxygen which is why lemon juice is so useful as it will act as a protective barrier for the fruit.
Lemon juice contains citric acid which slows down the enzymes responsible for browning and the oxygen will have more difficulty reaching the fruit.
The expert said: “Apply a thin layer of lemon or lime juice to the cut surface to help slow down the oxidation process and prevent browning.
“Wrap the cut avocado tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring direct contact with the wrap to limit exposure to air.”
Once you wrap up the avocado in clingfilm and place it in your fridge then the avocado should stay fresher for three to five days longer than it usually would.
If you wish to keep a whole, newly bought avocado fresh, store it at room temperature somewhere in your kitchen, but keep it away from windows or warm appliances such as an oven.
Heat speeds up the ripening process to increase the risk of bacterial growth and can also cook the skin so the avocado will have a mushy texture with a horrible bitter taste.
If possible, also store avocados by themselves as most fruit releases a natural plant hormone called ethylene gas which helps speed up ripening to make it more flavourful.
Avocados are very sensitive to ethylene gas and are more likely to begin ripening quickly if stored near bananas, apples, pears, peaches and mangoes.
The expert said: “Ethylene-absorbing products, such as activated charcoal or specialized ethylene absorbers, can slow down the ripening process when placed in storage containers.
“Alternatively, place unripe avocados in a paper bag with ethylene-producing fruits like bananas or apples to speed up the ripening process.”
Store whole avocados at cool temperature on your kitchen counter or a pantry and they should stay fresh for one to two weeks. Only when you cut them should they be stored in the fridge.
