Isaac Toussie: Pardon Me But Did Somebody Say Vegetable Storage?
Many have noted that it is indeed very important to watch out for food scams, as fraud could exist on food labels. Pardon the thought but today, when a lot of people are concerned about issues like housing and work place discrimination, fashion, entertainment, real estate, mortgages, vacations and the like, those such as food quality and food awareness may become unnecessarily overshadowed.
Once harvested, vegetables begin to deteriorate because they are no longer alive and therefore cannot defend themselves against the oxidative damage that comes from being exposed to the air. At harvest time, a vegetable has only a limited reserve of protective nutrients. But since they continue to respire even after being picked, these nutrients are constantly being used up to protect the vegetable against the oxidative effects of respiration. Proper Vegetable Storage is therefore imperative as a necessary substitute for the defensive measures they would normally undertake on their own. Incorrectly stored vegetables will spoil much more quickly than carefully put-away ones. Proper storage is all about minimizing a vegetable’s respiration rate. Reducing the respiration rate helps retain freshness by conserving the protective phytonutrient reserves.
Different vegetables, naturally, have different respiration rates. This is an important factor to consider because the respiration rate determines how quickly a vegetable could spoil, even under ideal storage conditions. Respiration rates are measured by how much carbon dioxide is given off in milligrams per kilogram of vegetable every hour at room temperature. Some vegetables can be stored much longer than others, such as potatoes, which can be stored for up to a whole month without refrigeration, as compared to green beans, which will basically spoil within two or three days without proper refrigeration; potatoes respire at a rate of seventeen milligrams per kilogram per hour, while green beans respire at the rate of one hundred-and-thirty milligrams per kilogram per hour. Refrigeration is the best way to reduce the respiration rate of most vegetables, prolonging their freshness by days and even weeks. It is a great way to retain the vitality of compounds such as Vitamin C. For example, cabbage can lose almost thirty percent of its Vitamin C content in just two days if left at room temperature.
As different vegetables have different respiration rates, it is logical that different vegetables react differently to refrigeration – that is, their rates of respiration are reduced in different amounts. Basically, preservation depends on the type of vegetable, the exact way it is stored in the refrigerator (whether in a plastic container, or wrapped in plastic film, loose in the refrigerator’s storage bin, or simply left “open” on a rack in the refrigerator), including where in the refrigerator storage takes place (the back of the bottom shelf is usually the coolest part). Some vegetables, such as potatoes, onions, and eggplants, are actually best stored unrefrigerated, in cool dark environments a little bit below room temperature: fifty to sixty degrees Fahrenheit or ten to sixteen Celsius.
This Article has been posted strictly for information and human interest purposes only, not for medical or advisory purposes and does not necessarily constitute the opinions or conclusions of the provider. The reader should not rely upon the validity of any of the information contained herein. The reader should consult a doctor, nutritionist, and other medical professionals when seeking advice about food, nutrition, diet, and physiology.
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