Ya gotta keep ’em separated

August 13, 2022 by
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Properly storing fruits and vegetables can make them last longer, and knowing which of them can be stored together and which should be kept apart is crucial to this task. A big part of this conundrum has to do with ethylene gas, which helps some fruits and vegetables ripen. Conventional wisdom holds that foods are generally considered either ‘ethylene producers’ or ‘ethylene sensitive’ and ne’er the two should mix. That is an oversimplification, and as Good Food (Aus) explains, the science is a bit more nuanced than that.

Many foods can be both ethylene producers and be sensitive to the gas at the same time, because they produce ethylene to start the ripening process. That’s why putting food into paper bags can help hasten ripening; it concentrates the gases instead of letting them dissipate into the atmosphere. But if you put a heavy ethylene producer such as a banana in with something that doesn’t produce its own ethylene, like cucumbers, the results can be disastrous.

Beyond the ethylene question, there is another variable to consider when storing your fresh produce: whether your fruit is climacteric or nonclimacteric. Climacteric fruit will continue to ripen after it is picked (tomatoes, bananas, mangoes, and stone fruit), while nonclimacteric fruit will not ripen further off the vine (watermelon, berries, citrus, grapes). Climacteric fruit will respond to the presence of ethylene by producing more ethylene, while ethylene will not have an effect on the other type of fruit, which will just get soft or rot instead of getting sweeter.

Bonus points to those who recognize the title of this post from the mid-90s song lyric.

Category: Antipasto

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8 Comments

  • KatieK1  on  August 14, 2022

    That said, tomatoes should not be refrigerated. For that matter, neither should fresh mozzarella; it should be eaten the same day.

  • angrygreycat  on  August 14, 2022

    I bought the ethelyne gas absorbing sheets for my produce drawers in my fridge and they seem to be helping with keeping my produce fresher longer.

  • KatieK1  on  August 14, 2022

    I remained unconvinced. The article Darcie linked waffles on the subject. While it is pro-refrigeration, it also says:

    “… there are undeniable downsides to extended cold storage. This new study shows volatile loss after a week. Some older studies give an even shorter timeframe. Texture-wise, there are also drawbacks, and many studies show that texture degrades with extended chilling.there are undeniable downsides to extended cold storage. This new study shows volatile loss after a week. Some older studies give an even shorter timeframe. Texture-wise, there are also drawbacks, and many studies show that texture degrades with extended chilling.”

  • gamulholland  on  August 14, 2022

    (The Offspring— “Come Out and Play”) 🙂

  • Rinshin  on  August 15, 2022

    Angrygreycat – thanks for introducing me to ethelyne gas absorbing sheets. Bought some along with bags for produce to keep them fresher longer.

  • Agaillard  on  August 17, 2022

    I second Rinshin in thanking Angrygreycat 🙂 I usually go fridge except for things like apples, citrus, because living alone, I don’t use up a lot and otherwise produce goes bad too quickly – sometimes, I would split things like tomatoes or avocadoes (half in the room, half in the fridge) – also my fridge is barely ever empty, so I don’t need the space either. My sister, who has 3 kids and no space in the fridge, would store tomatoes, avocadoes and anything that can be, in the room or outside/balcony (depending on temperature). I honestly did not see a difference in texture.

  • kbennall  on  August 28, 2022

    That song has been stuck in my head since I saw the post title a couple of days ago! Ah, middle school…

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