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How to store fruits and vegetables

at home?

Prepared by researchers of the

Department of Postharvest Science
of Fresh Produce, The Volcani
Center, Agricultural Research
Organization (ARO), Bet Dagan.

Translation of Hebrew version by

Dr. Zev Gerstel, Department of
Soil Chemistry, Plant Nutrition and
Microbiology, Institute of Soil, Water
and Environmental Sciences, , ARO
Dear Readers,
In this pamphlet we bring you a
collection of suggestions and advice
on how to correctly preserve fruits
and vegetables in your home, based on
the results of the vast body of research
carried out in the Department of
Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce,
the Volcani Center, Agricultural
Research Organization, Bet Dagan.
The topic of preservation of
agricultural produce is more pressing
than ever as studies in the last few years
from all over the world have shown that
more than a third of all agricultural
produce goes to waste and is disposed
of after harvest, resulting in a waste
of energy and valuable resources.
Moreover, it has been found that in the
developed Western world, most of the
food losses occur in the consumers'
home (known as food waste) due to
excess purchases and improper storage.
In order to decrease the extent of food
waste in homes in Israel and to prevent
the waste of valuable resources, we have
pre p are d t h i s p amph l e t w h i ch
contains professional advice on
how to purchase and choose
agricultural produce in supermarkets
and in particular to provide detailed
instructions on how to store the
produce under optimal conditions
in the consumers' homes, whether
in the refrigerator, on the kitchen
table or in the pantr y, in order
to increase the shelf life of the produce.
All these actions are important to
prevent waste and to preserve the
quality of the produce, thereby
enabling the consumption of fruits
and vegetables and to maintain their
exceptional tasty and high nutritional
values.
We h op e y ou f i n d t h i s p amp h l e t
useful and that it instills in you better
prac t ices in how to e conomic a l ly
store fresh food in your homes.
Dr. Ron Porat
Head of the Department of
Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce,
The Volcani Center, Agricultural
Research Organization, Bet Dagan.
Th e s h e l v e s o f
our markets and
supermarkets are laden
with a wide variety of
fruits and vegetables
of various species and
varieties including
deciduous fruit (apples,
pears, grapes), stone fruit
(peaches, plumes, apricots),
subtropical fruit (citrus,
avocado), tropical fruit
(banana, mango), leafy
vegetables (lettuce, herbs),
fruit vegetables (tomatoes,
melons, watermelon),
onions and root vegetables
(onion, garlic, potatoes,
carrots, yams, radishes)
and more.
I n t h i s p u b l i c at i o n
prepared by researchers
of the Department of
Postharvest Science of
Fresh Produce, The Volcani
C enter, Agricultural
Research Organization,
Bet Dagan, we detail how to
choose fruits and vegetables
and how to optimally
preserve them in one’s
home so as to prevent
waste and to conserve
their internal and external
qualities thus providing
the consumer with tasty
and nutritious fruits and
vegetables.
Buying Fruits and
Vegetables
The first stage in the
proper storage of fruits
and vegetables begins
with their purchase.
Therefore, one should not
buy produces left out or
exposed to the sun, even
for a short time because the
shelf life of such produce
will be considerably shorter.
Moreover, when choosing
fruits and vegetables one
must pay close attention
and make sure there are
no flaws or blemishes,
insect damage or rot.
When storing fruits and
vegetables for extended
periods of time it is
recommended to select
less ripe produce that is
generally firmer. On the
other hand, ripe fruit that
is slightly soft is more
suited for immediate
consumption. In some
fruits and vegetables, such
as tomatoes, the color can
serve as a good indicator
of ripeness.
The bags containing the
fruits and vegetables should
be carefully placed on top
of the other bags to avoid
crushing or injuring the
produce. Obviously, soft
produce (e.g. strawberries)
should be placed on top
of firmer produce (e.g.
potatoes).
Storing in a refrigerator
is of i mp or t anc e to
preserve fresh produce.
Therefore, one should keep
the refrigerator drawers
clean and line them with
an absorbing liner to
absorb excess moisture
that may accumulate due
to respiration (breathing)
of the fruits and vegetables.
As a rule, it is better
not to wash fruits and
vegetables before placing
them in the refrigerator
but rather just before use.
If you do choose to wash
them first, care should be
taken to dry them well
before refrigerating them.
Before consumption, it is
recommended to wash the
fruits and vegetables in
running water. The use of
soap or a germicide is not
recommended as residues
of these products may
remain on the produce.
It is recommended to
separate the different types
of fruits and vegetables
prior to storage, as we will
explain later, because of the
different respiration rates
and ethylene production
rates during maturation
and particularly because of
their different sensitivities
to low temperatures.
One can store cut (sliced)
fruit and vegetables such
as, carrots, celery, lettuce
leaves, kohlrabi, melon
or watermelon, in closed
plastic containers in the
refrigerator. Nonetheless,
before cutting the fruits
and vegetables one should
thoroughly wash them,
including the rinds of
melons and watermelons.
The disadvantage of storing
sliced fruits and vegetables
in the refrigerator is
that cutting them may
lead to accelerated loss
of vitamins and other
beneficial constituents.
As a rule, the smaller the
pieces of sliced fruits and
vegetables are, the greater
the ratio of their surface
area to their volume, and
the greater the rate of loss
of vitamins and other
beneficial constituents.
Therefore, it is advisable
to cut fruits and vegetables
into pieces as large as
possible.
When slicing fruits and
vegetables one should
avoid any contact with
meat or dairy products
in order to prevent the
transfer of contaminants.
Therefore, it is preferable
to use separate cutting
boards for meat and dairy
products and for fresh
fruits and vegetables.
The most imp or t ant
factor in preser ving
produce quality in the
consumer’s home is to
choose the appropriate
storage temperature. This
is because low temperatures
slow down ripening and
ageing, however, fruits
and vegetables differ in
their sensitivity to cold. In
other words, some fruits
and vegetables such as
apples, pears, strawberry,
grapes, carrots and lettuce,
are cold tolerant and so
can be stored at very low
temperatures of about
0-2°C; whereas some fruits
and vegetables such as
citrus, avocado, peppers,
tomatoes and cucumbers
are just partially resistant
to chill and therefore it
is best to store them at
temperatures of 5-8°C;
and then there are fruits
and vegetables of tropical
origin, mainly bananas and
yams, that are very sensitive
to cold and so they should
be stored at relatively high
temperatures above 14°C.
In addition, there are
some root crops such as
onions, garlic and potatoes
that are best stored in a
dry pantry and not in a
refrigerator.
S p e c i f i c
recommendations
for storing different
fruits and vegetables
Tomato
In general, tomatoes don’t
do well at low storage
temperatures. When
stored in the refrigerator
at low temperatures, chill
damages occur, which
are manifested as black
spots that appear on the
skin. The optimal storage
temperature for ripe red or
orange tomatoes is 12°C.
The maximum storage
time for ripe red tomatoes
in the refrigerator is one
week.
Unripe tomatoes (ranging
in color from green-orange
to bright red) should not
be put in the refrigerator.
They should be left on
the shelf until they turn
red and only then put
into cold storage. In the
winter there is no need
to store tomatoes in the
refrigerator.
The sepals and the fruit
stalk of the tomato (the
green part) are indices
of freshness. The greener
they are, the less time the
tomato has been on the
shelf following harvest.
The green parts of the
tomato tend to dry out
within two or three days
after harvest.
Because they tend to dry
out and become moldy,
you should remove the
sepals and stalk from the
tomato before storing in
the refrigerator. If not
removed, they may injure
an adjacent fruit, which
can accelerate rotting.
To extend the storage
lifespan of tomatoes in
the refrigerator as much
as possible, you may want
to pack them in a plastic
bag with large holes, along
with a paper towel to
absorb excessive moisture.
Pepper
Un l i k e t h e t o m at o,
pepper fruit actually
like the cold, but the
sensitivity of the fruit
to low temperatures
depends on its degree of
ripeness, as indicated by
the color of the fruit when
it is picked at harvest or
when it was purchased
by the consumer. At the
beginning of ripening, all
pepper fruits are green
and fruit color changes
to yellow, orange or
red during ripening,
depending on the variety.
Optimal storage
temperature for red, yellow
or orange pepper is 7°C.
However, the optimal
temperature for green
fruit (i.e. picked in an
immature state) is 10°C.
Solid flawless peppers can
be stored in the refrigerator
for a week to 10 days. If
the skin is red but has a
green tint, the fruit can be
stored in the refrigerator
for up to two weeks.
If the fruit has a broken
stalk when purchased,
one should cut the stalk
of the pepper up to the
"shoulders of the fruit"
to maintain fruit quality.
A broken stalk is an "open
wound" through which
pathogens can penetrate
causing the stalk and the
fruit to rot and infect
neighboring fruit.
You can extend the storage
time of peppers by packing
them in a plastic bag with
large holes, and in which
you place a paper towel
to absorb water vapor
generated by the respiring
fruit.
Cucumber
Although we say "cool
as a cucumber" a real
cucumber is "afraid" of
cold. Commercial storage
should not keep cucumbers
at temperatures below
10°C, because the damage
caused by low temperature
(cold damage) greatly
shortens product life.
Home refrigerators are
generally set lower than
this threshold causing
cold damage to appear.
Nevertheless, one needs
to store cucumbers in
the refrigerator, since
storing the cucumber
out of the fridge results
in the loss of its value
because of aging and suffers
from yellowing, as well
as changes in its texture
and taste. There is no way
to prevent the damage
of cucumber chill in the
refrigerator, but several
steps should be taken to
preserve the cucumber,
even after the cold damage.
Chill damage is manifested
as microscopic lesions on
the skin of the cucumber
through which the fruit
loses water. As a result,
depressions are formed
on the cucumber and
the fruit softens. These
wounds can then serve
as portals to fungi such
as "Botrytis" which causes
the fruit to rot. While
these microscopic wounds
cannot be prevented, one
can produce conditions
that reduce the drying out
of cucumbers. Packaging
of cucumbers in closed,
but not sealed, plastic bags
will delay the appearance
of the depressions and
softening of the fruit. To
slow the progression of
the fruit decay, one should
prevent the accumulation
of condensation in the
bag by wrapping each
group of cucumbers with
paper towels, to keep the
moisture in and to absorb
excess moisture.
Before wrapping them
in the paper, remove the
remains of flowers still
attached to the cucumber.
The decay often begins from
these flowers because they
serve as a wick through
which the Botrytis reaches
the cucumber. If the fruit
is dirty, rinse it under
running water and dry
it well before storing it
in the refrigerator. If the
proper measures are taken,
cucumber can "survive" at
a reasonable quality in the
refrigerator for about 10
days to two weeks, even
though there is microscopic
damage to the skin.
When cucumbers are
stored in the refrigerator
for a long time, they should
be consumed immediately
after their removal from
the refrigerator. If they
are kept for a day or more
without refrigeration, their
quality will deteriorate
very quickly because all
the signs of cold damage
will appear.
Melon
Choosing the right melon
at the time of purchase will
significantly influence its
quality, and how long it
will last. If we are talking
about a melon such as
Galia (round type) one
should choose it according
to several parameters:
one must examine the
condition of the fruit
skin networking, where
it is recommended to
choose a melon whose
skin exhibits a full grid.
In terms of skin color, it
is best to choose a slightly
yellow melon with a tint
of green, but not orange.
Fruit smell is also important
– a melon with a very
strong aroma is a
melon with an aftertaste
and shorter shelf life.
Additionally, you can
shake the melon a bit to
see if it sounds watery.
If you hear this sound it
means that the seeds of
the melon have collapsed,
suggesting the fruit is not
good.
When it comes at the oval
type 'Pineapple' (spring
melons), an orange rind is
actually indicative of fruit
quality. In this type of melon
as well one should pay
attention to the networking
of the skin.
The melon should be
kept in the refrigerator,
where the optimal storage
temperature is 5°C. A melon
picked when yellow with
a shade of green will last
a week to 10 days when
refrigerated.
You can store cubed melons
in closed plastic containers,
but be sure to rinse the
rind before cutting.
Eggplant
Like cucumbers, eggplants
also do not respond well
to the cold, but they also
cannot last a long time
out of the refrigerator.
Eggplants should be kept
at 12°C.
Eggplants should be
purchased close to the
time when you want to
process them.
Select a medium size
lightweight fruit with
a black-purple glossy
color when purchasing
eggplants. Nonglossy fruit
tends to be bitter. Fruit that
are too large and heavy
contain many seeds and
tends to be bitter because
the bitterness stems from
the presence of the seeds.
Storage of eggplant in the
refrigerator for more than
four days may cause chill
damage, which appears as
depressions on the skin and
blackening of the fruit flesh.
To maintain the quality of
eggplant for another 2-3
days in the refrigerator,
t h e f r u it s h ou l d b e
wrapped in paper towels and
packaged in a perforated
plastic bag.
Zucchini
When purchasing, it is
important to choose a
shiny solid squash.
There is a large variation in
the sensitivity of different
types of zucchini to low
temperatures. Dark green
zucchini are relatively
insensitive to chill (optimal
temperature for their
preservation is about 7°C)
and can survive in the
refrigerator up to two
weeks or even more if
packaged like cucumbers.
In contrast, the yellow
zucchini varieties are much
more "spoiled" and suffer
damage from cold already
at low temperatures of
12-14°C.
You should not keep
them in the refrigerator
for over a week, and
it is best to buy them
when you’re going to
use them.
One should remove the
flowers that are connected
to the zucchini before
putting them in the
refrigerator.
Strawberries
Strawberries will keep
in the refrigerator for
several days, depending
on the season. In the first
half of the harvest season
(winter) the fruit is usually
characterized by the ability
to be reasonably preserved,
so you can keep it in the
fridge for a few days to a
week. In the spring, with
a rise in temperatures, the
strawberry is more likely
to suffer decay, and in
addition to Botrytis that
attacks the strawberry in
all seasons, the common
mold, Rhizopus also
appears during the hot
season. During this period,
the strawberry will not last
more than two or three
days in the refrigerator.
Packaging of the fruit in close to 0°C. It can be
low baskets arranged in kept in fair condition in
a single layer or two is the home refrigerator for
better than packaging about a week. To do so it
in deep baskets which should be stored in a well
enhances the development ventilated plastic bag to
and spread of decay. prevent the accumulation
of excessive moisture.
Strawberries do not suffer The bag should be closed
from cold damage, so at the upper edge to
a temperature slightly prevent drying of the
higher than zero degrees leaves. A closed bag with
is optimal, as long as the many tiny holes may be
fruit are not exposed to adequate for gas exchange
freezing temperatures. on the one hand, and to
prevent the accumulation
Lettuce of condensation on the
Lettuce is the most other. Lettuce should not
common leafy vegetable be stored in the refrigerator
and it is available in near apples, since the
all seasons. There are ethylene produced in large
different types of lettuce quantities by apples may
in terms of leaf structure result in the formation of
and Coles ("head"). The brown spots along the
most common ones: white veins. Individual
Roman ("Arab"), has green, lettuce leaves can also be
elongated and succulent kept in the refrigerator for
leaves that result in a several days. The leaves
weak Coles; American should be rinsed in running
("Iceberg"), has bright water, dried thoroughly
and crisp leaves arranged and stored in a plastic box
in a solid Cole. There are lined with absorbent paper.
other species with leaves Chopped lettuce may also
that are more delicate, be stored in the refrigerator
smooth or scalloped and for several days without
with different shades. browning of the leaves. To
Lettuce, like other leafy that end the lettuce should
vegetables, can be well be cut with a sharp knife
preserved at temperatures and the leaves washed
and dried thoroughly.
Immediately after cutting
put the leaves in a plastic
bag without holes. Displace
the air out of the bag
by pressing it gently or
by pumping, and close
the bag with a rubber
band. This method can
prevent browning and
d e c ay and mai nt ai n
the nutritional value.
Green Onions (Scallions)
Green onions can be kept
well at temperatures close
to 0°C. Under conditions
prevalent in household
refrigerators (above 4°C)
onion leaves continue to
grow due to the storage
substances in the bulb –
the thick white part from
which the roots grow. This
process results in longer
distorted leaves and the
development of yellowing
and decay. These effects
are more severe when
the onions are packed
inside plastic sleeves where
moisture can accumulate.
Therefore, you can store
onions in the refrigerator
for about a week, at most.
In many cases some sand
remains at the bottom
of the bulb and on the
small roots. Therefore,
it is advisable to wash
the dirty part only (not
the leaves), cut below the
onion bulb, dry well and
return it to the packaging.
Tip 1 - When the plastic
bag is open from the top,
the leave tips will begin to
dry out. A simple solution:
Cut off about 10 cm of the
leaves at the top and close
the bag with a rubber band.
Tip 2 - You can better save
the quality of the onion
by wrapping it in a paper
towel and returning it
to its plastic bag, which
should be closed with a
rubber band. The paper will
absorb the excess moisture
that causes leaf decay.
Broccoli
Broccoli is essentially a
winter crop, but today
varieties exist that can
be grown almost all year
round. This vegetable has
a very high nutritional
value, since in addition to
being rich in vitamins A
and C, minerals and fiber;
it also contains high levels
of antioxidants and cancer
preventives, a phenomenon
well-documented in
the scientific literature.
Therefore, it is ver y
important to maintain
its quality. Broccoli may be
stored well for over a month
if it is stored at 0°C, but in
the household refrigerator
it tends to turn yellow and
rot within a few days. The
yellowing is due to the
breakdown of chlorophyll,
the green pigment, as
well as the opening the
yellow bracts of the
flowering buds that are the
broccoli Coles (" blossom
", botanical definition).
In some supermarkets
you can find high-quality
broccoli packaged in
bags developed in the
Volcani Center (ARO), as
indicated on the bag. These
bags contain a suitable
atmosphere, which means -
a buildup of gaseous carbon
dioxide (CO2), created
naturally by respiration
of the vegetable which
is accompanied by a
decrease in the oxygen
concentration. As a result of
these changes in the levels
of the gases in the closed
bag, the processes of aging
and decay are slowed down
and the nutritional value
of vegetables maintained.
Tip 3- If you buy broccoli
without packaging, or if
its packaging was torn,
transfer it to a bag without
holes and close it with a
rubber band after expelling
the air in the bag and
make 2 tiny holes with a
small clip or toothpick.
This broccoli will smile
at you without yellowing
even after two weeks.
Basil
Basil is the only
fresh herb of tropical
origin and is therefore
damaged when it is stored
at temperatures below
12°C. Storage of basil in
the refrigerator will cause
browning within a day or
two, while leaving it out of
the fridge in a plastic bag
will results in its rotting.
Tip 4- re cut the ends of
the stems, as with flowers,
and place them in a jar
containing water up to
the lower leaf (3-5 cm).
Put the jar on the kitchen
counter in a well-lit area.
For the first day cover the
leaves with a plastic bag
with holes to prevent their
drying out. Within a few
days new roots will grow
that will give the plant
vitality and freshness for
over a month.
Fresh Herbs
All herbs, except basil,
can be kept well at a
temperature of 1-3°C,
but in the refrigerator
they will keep in good
condition for no more
than a week. To avoid
drying out of the leaves
it is customary to pack
them in a plastic bag or on
closed plastic trays. Due
to the high respiration of
spices, accompanied by
water vapor emissions,
moisture accumulates
in the container that can
cause rotting. Placing a
sorbent paper towel into
the packaging will result
in the absorption of excess
moisture and prevent the
development of decay.
Citrus Fruit
Orange colored citrus fruits,
including oranges and
tangerines, are relatively
resistant to cold and ideal
for storage at temperatures
of 5-6°C, while the yellow
and green citrus fruit, such
as grapefruit, pomelo and
lemon, are slightly more
sensitive to cold and the
ideal temperatures for their
storage is about 8-12°C.
However, for a relatively
short period of up to 2-3
weeks after purchase,
you can preserve the
quality of all kinds of
different citrus fruits in
the refrigerator.
Of the various citrus
fruit, tangerines have the
shortest shelf life, mainly
because of their tendency
to develop post-harvest
aftertaste. Therefore,
it is recommended to
preserve mandarins in the
refrigerator and to use them
within a reasonable time
after purchase. If desired,
oranges, grapefruit, pomelo
and lemon can be preserved
for up to a week even in
a bowl on the counter or
on the kitchen table.
Avocado
The avocado fruit is
relatively resistant to low
temperatures, thus it is
recommended to keep the
fruit in the refrigerator.
However, avocados are
generally bought before
they are ripe. Therefore, it is
recommended to keep the
fruit at room temperature
until ripening, and then
to store them in the
refrigerator to extend
their shelf life. You can
speed up the ripening of
the fruit by placing them
in a perforated plastic bag
at room temperature along
with other fruits, such as
banana, that release large
amounts of the ripening
hormone ethylene.
Mango
Mangos do not like low
temperatures. The optimum
storage temperature of the
mango fruit is 12°C. So if
it's cold outside there is
no need to keep the fruit
in the refrigerator. It is
recommended not to put
unripe mangoes in the
refrigerator. Therefore, you
should leave the mango
on the shelf until it ripens
and changes color, and
then refrigerate it. After
ripening, the fruit can be
preserved up to a week in
the refrigerator.
Grapes
Fresh grapes are available
from May to November and
in small amounts also in the
winter from the Arava. If
the grapes appear fresh
and healthy with green
rachis (stem and barb)
you can keep them in the
refrigerator for two weeks
in the container in which
they were purchased. It is
advisable to wash the fruit
just before consumption
because the grapes are
sensitive to the touch.
On the other hand, if the
rachis are brown or if the
grapes are very soft, or if
there are signs of damage
(injuries, the start of rot,
spots), you should consume
the fruit immediately after
removal of the damaged
parts and soaking in soapy
water followed by rinsing
with tap water. It is also
possible to store them
in the refrigerator in a
clean container with a
lid for about 3 days after
complete drying.
Grapes from storage
are available for up to 3
months in December and
January, as are imports from
South Africa during the
winter months. For the
most part they are intended
for immediate consumption
or storage in the refrigerator
for several days at most
at the discretion of the
consumer.
Apples
There are studies that prove
that apples contribute to
good health, but the level
of the natural beneficial
materials decreases during
storage in all types of
apples. Apples are usually
stored in packing plants
for up to a year, so when
we buy apples we do not
know how long they have
been in storage. So, it is
best to buy apples in the
fall, except the variety
“Ana” that is harvested in
the summer during June
and July. We all love to eat
a crisp apple, so to avoid
the aging and softening of
the fruit one should keep
them at a low temperature
i n t h e r e f r i g e r at o r,
preferably packed in
a sealed plastic bag to
avoid weight loss. Overall,
you can preserve the
high quality of apples in
the refrigerator for ten
days. You should eat the
apple with the skin after
washing with water. It is
also advisable to avoid
leaving a cut apple in the
fridge since they are prone
to brown quickly; and if
nevertheless someone
wants to do so it is desirable
to splash several drops of
lemon juice on the apple.
Pears
Unlike apples, pears are
eaten when tender and
juicy. Like apples, pears
are stored in packaging
houses for relatively long
periods. Pears purchased
in the store are usually
very hard and will not
soften properly at low
temperatures. Therefore,
in order to enjoy the full
aroma and juiciness of
the fruit, pears should be
left out of the refrigerator
to soften slightly, and
only then should be kept
at a low temperature in
the refrigerator. Pears
can be preserved in the
refrigerator for at least
five days.
Peaches and Nectarines
Peach season is from late
April to September, and
every two weeks or so
different varieties with
differing qualities appear.
Usually peaches sold in
markets are stored for
several days. Sometimes,
late appearing varieties are
stored for longer periods
and then their quality
decreases dramatically
an d t h e y l o s e t h e i r
juiciness. Therefore,
it is recommended to
buy peaches until the
end of September, and
if purchased later it is
recommended to taste
the fruit before buying.
Varieties appearing at the
beginning of the season
usually soften within two
to three days at room
temperature, while late-
season peaches become
tender only after five to
eight days. To enjoy the
full juiciness of a peach
one should eat it when it
is soft, because then its
aroma is most pleasing.
All in all, when buying
peaches early in the
season (April-May) you
should put them in the
refrigerator and they will
keep for up to a week and
soften properly. On the
other hand, when buying
peaches and nectarines at
the end of the season, they
should first be left out of
the fridge for a few days
until they begin to soften
before putting them in
the refrigerator.
Plums
Different varieties of plums
are grown in Israel and
most of them soften slowly.
Therefore, they can be
maintained outside the
refrigerator for five days
or in the refrigerator for
up to ten days. Extended
storage causes loss of
juiciness of the fruit and
may sometimes cause
internal browning of the
pulp.
Cherries
Cherries can be preserved in
their original packaging in
small plastic boxes for a
week at a low temperature
in the refrigerator. If you
want to extend the duration
of storage, you should put
them into a hermetically
sealed container and leave
them in the refrigerator at
a low temperature.
Bananas
It is absolutely not allowed
to put a banana in the
refrigerator! Bananas are
one of the most sensitive
fruits to chill, and placing
them in the refrigerator
will cause them to turn
black. The best place to
keep a banana at home
is in a cool and shaded
place. Recently, especially
in the winter, we encounter
bananas that seem ripe but
are still hard. This results
from bananas being treated
with ethylene, which
causes yellowing of the
peel but does not affect the
pulp (the eaten part of the
fruit). Consequently we
should leave these bananas
out longer and eat them
even when soft brown
spots appear because then
they are soft and tasty.
Pomegranate
The pomegranate is a
beautiful looking fruit with
high nutritional value, and
can be well preserved, but
it is very sensitive to the
water loss which causes
it to shrivel. Therefore,
for a short time of up to
several days after buying
you can keep them in a
bowl in the kitchen, but
to preserve the fruit for
longer, up to several weeks
after buying the fruit,
it should be stored in a
home refrigerator in a
plastic bag with holes or
in an unclosed bag.
Potatoes
The potato is a thickened
stalk harvested during
the physiological state
of hibernation, which
means it will not bloom
(sprout) and grow roots in
the first weeks of storage.
However, as the potato
awakens from hibernation
it tends to bloom and
the most effective way to
delay this process is to
keep potatoes at low
temperatures of 2-4°C.
However, cold storage
causes rapid breakdown of
starch resulting in increased
levels of sugars in the
bulb which is undesirable
especially in potatoes
meant for frying.
Although commercially,
tubers are stored in the
cold (3-6°C for domestic
consumption or 8-12°C
for industrial use) it is
customary to keep potatoes
out of the fridge. In this
case it is advisable not to
wash them and to store
them in a dark place, as
exposure to light causes
an increase in the contents
of toxic glycoalkaloids
close to the peel. Tubers
that have blossomed are
still edible, but you must
remove the stems (sprouts)
and peel the potatoes while
ensuring removal of the
sprout’s source.
Dozens of potato
varieties are marketed
in Israel. The color of
the peel (red or yellow)
is not indicative of its
suitability for frying or
cooking, and consumer
organizations should
put pressure on retailers
to label the species as has
been done with apples so
that the consumer can
continue to purchase the
potato variety with the
taste and texture that he
prefers.
Carrots
Carrots are thickened
taproots (tubers) with
a crown from which a
flowering stem emerges.
Carrots reaching markets
undergo a process of
clipping (removal of leaves)
and brushing to remove
the outer tissue (peeling)
in order to improve its
orange appearance. As a
result of removal the outer
tissue (peeling), the tuber
tends to rapidly lose liquids
and go through a process
called silvering (formation
of silver wounds or scabs).
For this reason carrots are
packed in bags with
holes and it is advisable
to store them this way
in the refrigerator at a
temperature of 1-2°C.
Under these conditions
carrots can be preserved
for relatively long times
as compared to other
vegetables.
Onions
Onions are food storage
organs growing in the soil.
The bulb (the hard part at
the bottom of the onion
plant) is a shortened stem
from which fleshy leaves
emerge, these are the scales
that during plant growth
turn into real green leaves.
Onions are the poorest
looking vegetables in
markets, mainly due to
improper harvest and
storage. This is reflected
in multiple skins and
quick germination at the
consumer's home. In recent
years, the Department
of Postharvest Science
of Fresh Produce of
the Volcani Center has
developed a process to
stabilize onion peels so
they won’t peel when
marketed and to enhance
their storage capacity.
Therefore, we expect to be
able to market onions in the
near future in mesh bags as
is customary with potatoes.

Garlic
Garlic is a shortened stalk
with buds containing well
thickened food storage
organs (cloves). Two main
types of garlics can be
found in markets; garlic
imported from China
packaged in sleeves and
having a bright white color,
and garlic grown in Israel
and usually marketed
in the form of bundles
with leaves or in plastic
packaging with holes.
Usually Israeli grown
garlic is sharper and has
a stronger aroma.

Commercially, garlic
is stored at ambient
temperatures or at low
temperatures of 1-2°C,
but under relatively
drier and better
ventilated conditions
than those found in a
household refrigerator. At
home garlic can be stored
in a dry, warm place but
not in direct sunlight.