About The Buzz: Certain Fruits and Vegetables Should Not Be Stored Together?

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
When certain fruits and vegetable are stored together, they cause early spoilage.

WHAT WE KNOW

When fruits approach maturity, they release ethylene. Ethylene promotes the ripening of fruit. It can cause premature ripening in some foods, while in others it can actually cause damage. To reduce unnecessary spoilage of your produce, do not store ethylene-producing fruits and vegetables with those that are sensitive to it.

 

Check out the chart below to see what fruits and vegetables should NOT be stored together …

 

Ethylene-Producing Fruits		Ethylene-Sensitive Vegetables
Apple Apricot Asian pear Atemoya Avocado Banana Cantaloupe Cherimoya Crenshaw melon Custard apple Durian Feijoa Fig Guava Honeydew melon Jackfruit Kiwifruit Mamey sapote Mango Mangosteen Nectarine Passion fruit Peach Pear Persian melon Plum Prune Quince Papaya Plantain Rambutan Sapote Soursop		Arugula Asparagus Beans Belgian endive Bok choy Broccoflower Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cabbage Cactus leaves Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Chayote squash Chicory Chili pepper Chinese cabbage Collards Cucumber Eggplant Endive Escarole Green onion Green tomato Kailon Kale Kiwano Leek Lettuce Longbean Mint Mushrooms Mustard greens Okra Parsnips Potato Snow pea Southern peas Spinach Summer squash Sweet pea Turnip greens Tomatillo Watercress Watermelon

 

 

Information provided by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

OUR ADVICE

If you’re using fresh fruits and vegetables soon after purchase, and storing them properly, you don’t have to be too concerned with ethylene-producing fruits spoiling your fruits and vegetables. Need some ideas? Visit our recipe database for over 1,000 ways to use your fruits and vegetables!

 

Remember that all forms of fruits and vegetables—fresh, frozen, canned, dried & 100% juice—are nutritious and count towards your daily recommendation. Dried, canned, frozen, and 100% juice forms of fruits and veggies have a longer shelf life than fresh and are a great choice when you can’t use your fresh produce quickly enough!

 

Need creative ways to eat more fruits and veggies? See Our Quick Guide to Adding More Fruits & Veggies to Your Day

 

Visit our Fruit & Vegetable Nutrition Database for more information on specific storage recommendations on over 100 fruits and vegetables.