Yahoo News Expert reveals the right way to store avocados and extend their freshness
Avocados are a staple in many summer meals, and look great on any breakfast plate. Yet it's disappointing when you cut open your avocado only to find it's brown and gone off.
A lot of us bemoan both the wasted food and wasted money, but there could be a better way to store avocados to keep them fresher for longer. Some have heard avocados should be submerged in water to keep them fresh, but this is not the case.
Amy Lynn Cross, a culinary enthusiast and founder of The Cross Legacy, revealed that keeping avocados submerged in water - a seemingly popular food storage trick circulating on social media - will only serve to promote bacterial growth, hence spoiling the fruit, reports the Express.
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She said: "These tips show people storing whole and halved avocados in water to keep them fresh longer. It has been all over social media. In reality, it could be making you sick."
But don't worry too much as Amy also offers a much safer and more effective method to keep your avocados fresh for an extra month. Rather than being forced to chuck out ruined fruit, Amy suggests that the optimal way to store avocados involves washing them thoroughly to eliminate bacteria, drying them well and then storing them in an air-tight container.
She said: "My 'secret elixir' for washing avocados is actually quite simple and easy on the budget. It's composed of two ingredients: cool water and 5% distilled white vinegar."
While it might sound odd, washing avocados and other fruits in this vinegar solution does in fact kill off any harmful bacteria or contaminants residing on the skin, significantly lengthening the produce's shelf life. Firstly, ensure you remove any stickers from the avocado skins and then pop them into a bowl filled with cold water and 60ml of white vinegar.
Start a timer for exactly two minutes before dunking the avocados in, and be careful not to leave the fruit in any longer, as you might end up tasting the vinegar in your avocado. After the time is up, give the avocados a good rinse under tap water and let them air dry.
It's crucial they're bone dry before you tuck them away for storage; otherwise, you're inviting bacteria and mould to feast on your fruit.
Now, if your avocados are still a bit firm, keep them in a fruit bowl; but if they're ready to eat, chuck them in the fridge. The chill will halt their ripening process. For optimal longevity, stash your avocados next to lemons. They're like best mates that keep each other from going off too quickly.
But steer clear of putting avocados near apples or bananas, as these neighbours will make them ripen at warp speed. Amy said: "I have always stored my avocados in a drawer next to my lemons. It turns out that they help each other last longer.
"I won't get into the science behind this here, but unlike lemons, apples and bananas do not mix well with avocados. They speed up the ripening process."
