17 Fruits That Should Never Be Refrigerated
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While refrigeration is essential for preserving many foods, it’s not always the best choice when it comes to certain fruits. In fact, chilling some fruits can actually harm -and sometimes diminish their natural taste and texture. That’s right; your favorite way of food preservation might be doing more harm than good. The cold environment can interfere with their flavor, texture, and ripening process, making your preferred method of food storage more harmful than helpful. Let’s take a closer look at some common mistakes to avoid.
Mango
If your mango isn’t fully ripe, keeping it at room temperature is best. Refrigerating it too soon can halt the ripening process, leaving you with a less flavorful, hard fruit. However, once your mango is ripe, place it in the refrigerator to slow down spoilage.
Bananas
Bananas thrive in hot climates, so it’s no surprise that they don’t do well in the cold. Refrigeration can cause the peel to turn black due to the activation of browning enzymes at low temperatures. It can also drastically change the fruit’s taste and texture. While refrigerating bananas may slow down or stop the ripening process, the impact on flavor and texture makes it not worth it.
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Persimmons
This juicy, luscious fruit continues to ripen after being harvested, so it’s best to store it on your countertop. Allowing it to ripen at room temperature will ensure its sweetness and rich taste Once ripe, you can keep persimmons in your refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Papaya
If your papaya is still mostly green, avoid putting it in the refrigerator, as this can affect its natural juiciness and flavor. A bright yellow or orange color indicates that the papaya is ripe and ready to eat.
Pineapple
Pineapples, being tropical fruits, thrive at room temperature. Cold temperatures can diminish their natural sweetness and juiciness while also making them firmer. In addition, keeping pineapples at room temperature helps preserve certain antioxidants.
Cantelope
Cantaloupes should be ripened at room temperature. Refrigerating whole cantaloupes can reduce their sweetness, stopping their natural ripening process. Plus, a refrigerator will make them less juicy and crisp.
Watermelon
Like cantaloupe, watermelon should be ripened at room temperature. Refrigerating a whole watermelon too soon can halt its natural ripening process, reducing its sweetness. Once your watermelon is ripe, you can then slice it and refrigerate it.
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Honeydew
Similar to other melons, Honeydew should always be ripened at room temperature. Once it is ripe, it can then be kept refrigerated.
Peaches and Nectarines
If you love sweet peaches, avoid refrigeration. It can disrupt the development of the unripe fruit’s natural aroma. However, when the fruit is ripe, it can then be refrigerated to slow down spoilage.
Plums
Like other stone fruits, plums should be ripened at room temperature. Once they are ripe, they can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.
Avocado
Avocados shouldn’t be refrigerated if they still need to ripen. The cold can affect their texture, making them less buttery, and it can also diminish their natural flavor. Once an avocado is cut, you can store it in the refrigerator, but remember that its shelf life is short.
Pears
Pears should be stored on the countertop. If they smell sweet, they are ready to be eaten. Sliced pears should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Apples
There’s a lot of debate about whether apples should be stored in the refrigerator. However, apples can stay fresh at room temperature for up to two weeks. After that, refrigerating them can significantly prolong their shelf life.
Berries
Avoid washing strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries until you’re ready to eat them. Store them at room temperature to maintain their freshness and natural sweetness longer. The moisture in the fridge could actually be shortening their shelf life rather than preserving it.
Apricots
Apricots are stone fruits that do not prefer refrigerators, especially if they are not yet ripe. Refrigerating will only stop their natural ripening process, ruining their flavor and consistency resulting in a less sweet and juicy apricot.
Citrus Fruits
Whole citrus fruits can be stored on your countertop for up to several weeks. Low temperatures can ruin the natural sweetness of lemons and oranges, making them less juicy. Once sliced, store citrus fruits in the refrigerator to prevent them from drying out.
Tomatoes
The debate over whether to refrigerate tomatoes has been around for ages, so we’ll let you decide what works best for you. Cold temperatures can alter a tomato’s texture, leaving it mealy, similar to a stale apple, and diminish its natural aroma. However, some tomato varieties fare better in the fridge than others.
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