How to store berries and fruits? How to store seasonal fruits and berries longer.

Storing grapes. Grapes are classified botanically as berries, so they are included in this article for the sake of completeness. Grapes can be stored in their original plastic bags in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Don't wash the grapes until you are ready to eat them; it cannot be dried completely, so any remaining water will cause it to spoil quickly.

Storing logan berries. Leave the loganberry unwashed in its original container. Store in the refrigerator (a container is a good place) for up to one week. Wash immediately before use.

Storing persimmons. It is classified botanically as a berry. Store persimmons at room temperature. Storing persimmons in the refrigerator can cause cold damage. Eat persimmons when they are very ripe (they are still ripening after being picked); it can be eaten as a dessert in a fruit salad, as a raw fruit, in a baked product, or as jam.

First, a little chemistry lesson. Ethylene is an odorless and colorless gas that helps some fruits ripen. Some fruits contain a lot of it (for example, apples and pears), and some have negligible amounts.

• apples,
• apricots,
• avocado,
• bananas,
• melons,
• figs,
• nectarine,
• peaches,
• pears,
• plums,
• tomatoes.

They should not be stored with other fruits and vegetables. Unless you want them to finish it faster.

For example, if you put a banana in a paper bag, it will ripen faster because the ethylene will be trapped in the paper. Or you can put an apple or pear along with a banana.

It is also worth considering the fact that ethylene comes out faster from damaged fruit. As a result, one cracked apple can cause the entire package to spoil faster than usual.

What and where to store

After going to the market or store, you need to put what you bought in the right place. Otherwise, all your efforts and money will be wasted.

Stored in the refrigerator:

• Artichokes
• Beet
• Brussels sprouts
• Celery
• Cherry
• Grape
• Green bean
• Lima beans
• Leafy vegetables
• Leek
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Zucchini

For refrigerator storage, you have three options: store without a bag, in a plastic bag, or in a paper bag. A plastic bag traps moisture inside, so it's best not to tighten it tightly or poke a few holes.

It is advisable not to wash vegetables and fruits before putting them in the refrigerator. If you wash them, dry them well, otherwise mold may appear, and this is not very good for other products and your health.

After ripening the following are stored:

• Avocado
• Nectarines
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums

Store in water:

• asparagus
• greenery

You need to store it the same way as if you were storing flowers: cut off the ends and place in a glass with a little water.

Store in a paper bag:

• mushrooms

Do not wash and store in a plastic bag:

• Broccoli
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Corn
• Cranberry
• Green onions
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Radish

Do not wash and store in one layer:

• Blackberry
• Blueberry
• Strawberry
• Raspberries

The listed berries cannot be washed or placed in large quantities in one tray. The berries are very tender, and their skin is also soft. When washing, you damage them, juice leaks out and they simply turn sour. If you store them in small trays in one layer, they will last much longer.

Stored on the kitchen table:

• Apples
• Bananas
• Tomatoes
• Basil
• cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Ginger
• Grapefruit
• Lemon
• Oranges
• Mango
• Papaya
• Pepper
• Persimmon
• A pineapple
• Bananas
• Watermelon
• Pomegranate

It is not advisable to place the listed vegetables and fruits in direct sunlight or near the stove. From time to time you need to move them from place to place so that the fruit does not lie on the same side for a long time. This is especially true for tomatoes.

Store in a cool, dark place:

• Garlic
• Potato
• Pumpkin
• Leek

It’s not for nothing that cellars are so popular in villages. After all, it is in them that not only pickles and jam are stored all winter, but also potatoes, onions, pumpkin and garlic.

Typically, when we bring fruit home, we do one of two things: put everything in a vase on the counter or throw it in the refrigerator. There's not much room for error since almost all fruits can be stored in the refrigerator, and almost all fruits can last at least a couple of days at room temperature. But if you want to get maximum pleasure and benefit from the gifts of nature and save your budget, it’s worth understanding this issue a little.

In this material, you will learn the general principles of storing bananas, apples, pears, lemons, tangerines and other fruits, find a reminder on the storage conditions and periods of different types of fruits and berries, and also get ideas for organizing the content of “vitamins” at home.

8 general principles on how to properly store fruit at home

Principle 1: Do not store fruits and vegetables together. Fruits that emit large amounts of ethylene (a ripening agent) can speed up the ripening of nearby vegetables and spoil them.

Principle 2: Remove moldy fruit immediately. Before storing fruit in the refrigerator, cabinet or tabletop vase, be sure to remove any spoiled fruit to prevent the spread of mold. Try to eat overripe fruits first.

Principle 3. Store unripe fruits at room temperature, preferably in a paper bag. This is especially true for apricots, peaches, pears, plums, persimmons, avocados, kiwis and mangos. The bag will become a trap for ethylene, a gas that is released by the fruit and acts as a ripening agent. Want to speed up the process even more? Place an apple in the bag. Ripe and, especially, overripe fruits are best stored in the refrigerator.

Principle 4. Store fruit on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in a special compartment for fruit. The exception is fruits that need to be stored at room temperature (whole melons, bananas, citruses, unripe fruits), as well as apples - they are best stored on the top shelf of the refrigerator, separately from other fruits.

What fruits cannot be stored in the refrigerator? The answer is easy to remember: bananas and citrus fruits

Principle 5: Do not store fruit in a crowded refrigerator container. Air should circulate freely around the fruit.

Principle 6: Eat cut fruit as quickly as possible and do not store it in the refrigerator for more than two days. This is especially true for watermelons, melons and pumpkins, as well as persimmons. Cut fruits cannot be stored at room temperature - firstly, they will quickly deteriorate and wrinkle, and secondly, they will attract gnats and flies.

Principle 7. Store unwashed fruit in the refrigerator in its original packaging or loose bag. Fruits stored at room temperature should be removed from the packaging immediately.

Principle 8. Always have a vase of fruit on the table or countertop. It is better to choose a place that is always visible and easily accessible. This way, you and your household will not forget about these delicious vitamins, and the interior will only be decorated.

Below are several photo ideas on how you can beautifully, conveniently and correctly organize fruit storage at home at room temperature.

A bowl of fruit makes a great centerpiece for a dining table. In a beautiful vase, bright fruits will seem even more appetizing

Homemade fruit holder from boards and metal baskets

The system of kitchen rails and baskets is ideal for storing apples and pears

It is convenient to store a juicer and a stationary blender next to the fruit.

You can compactly store a large amount of fruit in this bookcase

Where and how long to store fruits and berries - a brief reminder

The rules for storing fruit are often confusing, because each fruit has different requirements for conditions and timing. For example, some species ripen on a tree, and some already ripen at home with their owner. Some fruits need to be stored at low temperatures, while some, on the contrary, love warmth. This guide will help you avoid mistakes. Keep in mind that the recommendations below assume your produce is ripe and ready to eat.

Bananas

To prevent bananas from turning black, they should be stored in a cupboard or on a table, but not in the refrigerator.

• Shelf life at room temperature: 5 days.
• Ideal location: in a vase on a table, in a closet or in a cool, dry place.
• Tip: Ripe bananas can be frozen for baking or eating as natural "ice cream" (the skins will turn black, but the flesh will be fine).

How to store bananas at home? Thanks to their bright color, they are simply created to decorate the interior. Place them in a cute dish/vase or hang them on a special holder or on a hook screwed into the bottom of a wall cabinet

Apples

These are the most convenient fruits to store at home, as they can be stored both in the refrigerator and in the cupboard or on the table longer than all other fruits.

• Shelf life: up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
• Place: it is best to store apples on the top shelves, most importantly, separately from other fruits.

How to store apples at home? Ideally, on the top shelf of the refrigerator. The main rule is that they cannot be stored for long periods of time together with other fruits.

Melon, watermelon, pumpkin

When stored in the refrigerator for a long time, these melons lose their taste and aroma.

• Place: in the refrigerator in the fruit compartment or in the cabinet/table (except for overripe and damaged fruits).
• Shelf life: up to 5-7 days whole, up to 2-3 days cut.

Apricots

• Location: Unripe apricots should be stored at room temperature, preferably in paper bags.
• Refrigerated shelf life: 5 days.

Citrus

Citrus fruits are those fruits that are best stored in a vase on the table, in a cardboard box in a closet or other dry and preferably cool place, but not in the refrigerator. Therefore, it is worth buying them only a week in advance, but no more. However, you can also store them in the refrigerator for quite a long time (up to 2-3 weeks), although after a week or ten days the fruits will begin to lose their aroma, juiciness and taste. Lemons and limes will completely absorb foreign odors.

• Place: in the closet, on the table. If in the refrigerator, then on the bottom shelf or in a special compartment for fruit.
• Shelf life: on the table - from 3 to 7 days, in the refrigerator - oranges up to 2 weeks, lemons, limes and grapefruits up to 3 weeks, tangerines - up to 1 week).

You can decorate your holiday table with this fruit arrangement. Simply place a smaller vase in the center of a large vase and fill it with water and flowers, then stack your citrus fruits in the remaining space

Pears

Do not rush to be upset if the pears on the store counter are only green and hard. The fact is that these fruits are picked unripe, since they begin to rot on the tree even before ripeness. It turns out that you should buy unripe pears a week in advance and wait for them to ripen at home. When buying soft and juicy fruits, try to eat them as quickly as possible.

• Place: in the closet, on the table. To speed up the ripening of pears, place them in paper bags and keep them at room temperature. Ripe and overripe pears can be stored in the refrigerator for one or two days (on the bottom shelf or in a special fruit compartment).
• Duration: 5 days. Asian pears last longer - up to 7 days at room temperature and several weeks in the refrigerator.

• Location: Grapes are best stored in a paper bag (or perforated plastic bag) in the refrigerator.
• Shelf life: 1 to 2 weeks. But it is better to eat the grapes within 3 days; later they will begin to wrinkle.

Kiwi

• Place: ripe fruits - in the refrigerator, unripe ones - at room temperature.
• Duration: 4 days on the table, and up to several weeks in the refrigerator.

Mango

• Place: refrigerator.
• Duration: 4 days.

Peaches and nectarines

• Place: refrigerator.
• Duration: 5 days.

A pineapple

• Place: in its entirety - at room temperature on a table or in a cupboard; cut or sliced ​​pineapple is stored in the refrigerator.
• Duration: 5 days whole at room temperature and 3 days in the refrigerator (cut).

Plum

• Place: refrigerator, unripe plums are stored at room temperature;
• Duration: 5 days.

Persimmon

• Place: Unripe fruits are stored at room temperature until ripe, then eaten as quickly as possible.
• Duration: after ripening – 2-3 days.

Grenades

• Place: refrigerator.
• Duration: a whole pomegranate can be stored for up to 3 weeks, pomegranate seeds can be stored for 3 days.

Blackberry

• Shelf life: 2 days

• Place: in the refrigerator.
• Shelf life: 1 week.

Cherry

• Place: in the refrigerator in an open bag or bowl.
• Duration: 3 days.

Cranberry

Cranberries are the healthiest berries that you can safely buy for future use.

• Place: refrigerator.
• Duration: 1 month.

Raspberries

• Place: in the refrigerator, spread in a single layer on a paper towel.
• Shelf life: 3 days

Strawberries

• Place: in the refrigerator.
• Shelf life: 3 days.

The short shelf life is easy to explain: tender pulp and a lot of juice. Once the berries let out their juice, they can no longer be saved - mold and fungi are just waiting for that moment.

How to preserve berries

Grape

Beautiful dishes with heavy clusters in the kitchen indicate that someone does not know how to store grapes. At room temperature, this berry quickly overripes and withers. You can wash the grapes only before eating, since it is impossible to completely dry them after this, and excess moisture will only shorten the shelf life.

Pack the grapes in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. This will keep it fresh for five days to a week.

Strawberry

To succeed in strawberry storage, you need to know a little about this berry. Firstly, at room temperature it spoils within 12 hours. Secondly, it is best to store it in two layers, but no more - the denser the berries are, the faster they will spoil.

To keep the strawberries firm and not moldy, treat them with a vinegar solution (water and vinegar 2 to 1), then wipe dry and store in the refrigerator in an open container with holes.

Raspberries

Delicate raspberries do not tolerate careless handling. Berries in the refrigerator can spoil just as quickly as those outside if you place them too close to the freezer. It is best to choose the top shelf. Storage containers must be dry and airtight!

To get rid of the raspberry bug, take the required amount of berries at the moment and soak them in a solution of salt water (20 g of salt per 1 liter of water). This is a quick way to get rid of larvae that will simply float to the surface.

Blackberry

Another delicate berry that is best eaten on the day of picking. It can be stored in an open container. The refrigerator will extend its shelf life by just a couple of days.

Gooseberry

This berry is dried and frozen to protect it from spoilage. In its natural form, it has a very short shelf life (2-3 days). Before placing in the refrigerator, make sure that the berries are dry, and then cover them with some kind of cloth.

Cherry

The best-stored berry out of the 7 presented. It can be kept in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, and the lower the temperature, the longer the berries will remain fresh. The only condition: do not store it in a sealed container.

Some rules remain common to all berries. For example, removing the stem will speed up the spoilage of the product, as will washing before storage. We do not recommend keeping berries in metal containers - they will begin to oxidize.

Immediately after picking or purchasing, remove all soft, rotten and damaged berries. Otherwise, rot and mold can destroy all supplies. remember, that berries in the refrigerator store much better, so keep a place for them on the top shelf this summer.

Liliana Smirnova

Storing berries is a relevant issue not only for farmers who grow fruit for sale. At the height of summer, when almost all the bushes and trees in your garden begin to bear fruit, berry shelf life and temperature conditions can help you enjoy fresh berries for a very long time.

Let's figure out how to store berries in such a way that they do not lose their taste and nutrients for as long as possible.

To do this, first of all, you urgently need to cool them. The faster you do this, the longer the berries will last. For example, a delay in cooling of 1-1.5 hours leads to the fact that the berries will be stored for 1, or even 2 days less.

What is this connected with? Why such a rush? After picking the berries, the biochemical processes in them do not stop: they are preparing for further reproduction. Your task is to slow down these processes. Phytopathogenic microflora is suppressed at temperatures close to, but not reaching, the freezing point.

Proper storage of berries requires compliance with the following simple rules:

Collect regularly and selectively, avoiding over-ripening, sorting immediately upon collection;

15-20 minutes after harvesting, it is necessary to urgently cool the crop;

You need to pick berries in the morning. At this time, the pulp is at its highest density;

Choose the right, “breathable container”;

Monitor temperature conditions.

From the table below you will learn what are the conditions for storing fruits and berries in the refrigerator.

Maximum freezing point- this is the point after which freezing of berries or fruits occurs, accompanied by cell destruction. That is, it is impossible to store crops below this temperature.

The wide range in shelf life of some berries and fruits is due to the variety of varieties and degree of ripeness.

Air humidity during storage of berries and fruits should be 85-90%.

So, storing berries at a high level is achieved by maintaining the correct temperature. However, each berry has its own “secret” of storage. Let's talk about the most popular fruits and berries of our gardens in more detail.

Storing berries: main groups

How to store raspberries and strawberries?

These are the most tender berries. Under no circumstances should they be sorted out after collection for the purpose of subsequent storage. After picking, raspberries and strawberries need to be cooled immediately.

The shelf life of strawberries without refrigeration is no more than 24 hours; in the refrigerator while maintaining a temperature of +3°C – 2-3 days; - 0.5°C – up to five days.

The shelf life of raspberries without refrigeration is no more than 8 hours; When cooled to 0-+0.5°C, storage of raspberries increases to 2-3 days.

How to store cherries?

Cherries are well stored in trays and blisters

Storing cherries largely depends on the degree of ripeness and variety. For example, the shelf life of denser cherries (biggaro group - with a cartilaginous, dense structure of the pulp) can be extended by lowering the storage temperature of the fruit to -1.5°C. However, for ripe berries with a soft pulp structure (gini group), such a low temperature can be disastrous. Therefore, it is better to store cherries at an optimal temperature of about 1°C.

It is important to know that with a sharp change in temperature - when you take cherries out of the refrigerator into a warm apartment - condensation appears on its surface.

Such berries are no longer subject to further storage; they must either be used immediately, or a transition temperature regime of 8-10°C must be organized.

Without refrigeration, keeping cherries fresh is only three days.

In three days, a fourth or fifth of the berries become unusable.

For optimal storage, plums must be collected together with the stem, carefully, without damaging the waxy coating. Plums can be stored at 0°C for two whole weeks. However, after this the temperature should be raised to +5-+6°C so that the flesh does not turn brown.

Dense plums can be stored in plastic bags.

But large, soft fruits for long-term storage are better to be covered with material that can allow air to pass through.

How to store blackcurrants?

Storing currants without refrigeration is possible only for three days. Then the berries release juice, become moldy, and quickly lose weight. After a week, blackcurrant loss of organic acids and vitamin C accelerates.

You can store currants in plastic bags at a temperature of 0-+2 degrees.

So the berries can store their beneficial properties for 2 or even 3 months.

Containers for storing berries and fruits: general recommendations

In such baskets the berries will remain fresh for a long time.

Plastic containers, containers made of thick cardboard or wood with side holes are ideal for storing berries. The holes will provide access for container ventilation and complete cooling. The more tender the berry, the smaller the layer it can be laid and the smaller the container should be taken.