Risk of loss of taste and aroma: can tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator and for how long?
To maintain the freshness of food, including fruits and vegetables, it is very convenient to use a refrigerator. But this option is not suitable in all cases.
There are some peculiarities when keeping tomatoes at home. Is it possible to store tomatoes in the refrigerator, for how long and why they say that this cannot be done, we will tell you further.
Content
Are tomatoes stored refrigerated?
Should tomatoes be refrigerated? In the warmth of a city apartment, tomatoes, especially if they are ripe, begin to quickly deteriorate. Sufficiently high air temperatures and low humidity contribute to the fact that the fruits begin to lose moisture and wither.
But these conditions are not optimal for the vegetable., which is best kept at temperatures from +12 to +15°C, maximum at +20°C. Therefore, the refrigerator can be considered as an option if there are no alternative options for where to keep the tomatoes.
Why is it considered impossible?
The peculiarity of fresh tomatoes is the production of volatile compounds by the fruit, which make this product especially aromatic and tasty. When the crop is placed in a refrigerator at a temperature of about +7°C, the production of these compounds is reduced.
Low temperatures lead to the fact that the acids and sugars contained in the vegetable are destroyed. As a result, tomatoes become less tasty and aromatic.
Immediately after the fruit is taken out of a cool place, it smells practically nothing. Once it warms to room temperature, the aroma returns.
Shelf life
How long do tomatoes last in the refrigerator? In the refrigerator, fresh tomatoes can last on average from 3 days to a week. With longer storage, even initially dense and not overripe fruits begin to lose their quality and wither.
The length of time vegetables retain their qualities is influenced by various factors. Including the following:
- initial condition of the fruit;
- maintaining stable conditions at the storage location;
- type of packaging;
- proximity to other products.
Which is correct?
If you can’t allocate any other place other than the refrigerator for tomatoes, you need to try to organize the most correct storage conditions for them.
At what temperature and in what compartment?
The average temperature in the refrigerator is about +7°C. This is slightly lower than recommended for tomatoes, but quite acceptable. It is advisable for tomatoes to find a place in the vegetable compartment, since for them it is the most suitable place for tomato stocks.
Do I need to wrap it in something?
Plastic bags are the most popular type of packaging. But it is not suitable for tomatoes.
If possible, the product brought from the store must be immediately transferred to a paper bag. Even better - wrap each fruit separately in paper. An alternative approach is to place it in a cardboard box.
If tomatoes are placed in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, additional holes must be made in it. This will prevent condensation and extend the shelf life.
What's the best way to style it?
It is recommended to pack tomatoes so that they lie freely, without squeezing.
This video will show you how to properly store tomatoes in the refrigerator:
How to restore the taste of a vegetable?
In some situations, it is not possible to find the ideal place for tomatoes. But even after they were in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment, their aroma decreases, and the taste acquires herbaceous notes.
The solution to the problem is to remove the tomatoes from the refrigerator in advance before serving, at least a quarter of an hour, but better yet, several hours in advance.
Even varieties that are genetically modified or bought in winter, which have virtually no aroma, can be made more fragrant in a simple way.
Procedure:
Heat the water to 50°C.- Place the tomatoes in this water for a quarter of an hour.
- Remove from water and cool to room temperature.
- Cut the tomatoes coarsely, for example into slices.
- Place the slices in a bowl.
- Add (based on 4 tomatoes): ? tsp sugar, ? tsp salt.
- Pour in 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil.
- Mix.
- Leave to lie for 10 minutes.
After this, the tomatoes can be used in salads or other dishes.Even if they do not become the same as those just picked from the garden, they will clearly be more aromatic and tastier after the processing.
Conclusion
Storing tomatoes in the refrigerator is one of the possible options to extend the shelf life of the product. In order to preserve the taste and aroma of tomatoes as much as possible, it is advisable to follow all the rules for placing stocks of vegetables and their packaging.
