Tomato alarm: This is how ethylene endangers your fresh vegetables!

Tomato alarm: This is how ethylene endangers your fresh vegetables!

Food waste is a widespread problem, often compounded by improper storage of fruits and vegetables. A crucial factor in the shelf life of fresh vegetables is the gas ethylene. This ripe gas speeds up the ripening process of many vegetables, leading to faster spoilage. Particularly cheerful foods such as tomatoes produce high amounts of ethylene and should therefore be stored separately from the rest of the vegetables. Experts recommend not storing tomatoes in the refrigerator as this can lead to loss of flavor and glassy spots, as vienna.at reports.

Proper storage can not only preserve the freshness of food, but also save money and therefore help reduce food waste. Ethylene is produced naturally by many fruits and vegetables, including apples, pears and melons. These fruits can affect the ripening of other products. It is therefore advisable to always store fruits and vegetables separately to avoid unwanted ripening processes.

The challenges of storage

The metabolism of fruit and vegetables continues after harvest: plants absorb oxygen and release carbon dioxide, water and heat. This process, known as respiration, leads to ripening, fermentation and ultimately spoilage. In this context, ethylene is an important player as it significantly accelerates the ripening process, as dlg.org explains.

Another problem is that cut vegetables and salads have a higher risk of microbial spoilage. These foods spoil more quickly because the delicate cell structures are damaged, which creates an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms. In order to optimize the shelf life of fruit and vegetables, ideal storage conditions are crucial. These include cool, damp and dark places, especially for products requiring long-term storage.

Optimal storage techniques

Storage requirements vary widely. Some foods should be stored in the refrigerator, while others cannot. For example, many vegetables, including broccoli and cucumbers, are sensitive to ethylene and should be stored away from ethylene-producing fruits. An ideal relative humidity of 85-90% also contributes to the longer freshness of fruit and vegetables, as the BMLUK emphasizes.

To ensure the best storage, the following practical tips should be followed:

• Obst sollte immer getrennt von Gemüse gelagert werden.
• Lebensmittel sollten in geschlossenen Behältern aufbewahrt werden, insbesondere in gemeinsamen Lagerbereichen.
• Regelmäßiges Lüften hilft, unerwünschte Gerüche und schädliche Gase zu neutralisieren.

Proper storage and understanding how ethylene works can make the difference between fresh and spoiled vegetables. By adapting our storage methods, we can not only improve the quality of our food, but also make an important contribution to reducing food waste.