Consumption of food is extremely important as it contains many different types of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants. Also, fruits are extremely fibrous, which means that they are good for the gut and digestion. Most people like to make an effort to buy a lot of fresh foods for consumption. However, the shelf life of fruits is not that wide, and they get brown pretty quickly.
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After turning brown, fruits give a very repulsive smell and weird taste. The rotting further travels to different parts of the fruit, and it becomes unfit for consumption. While it's not practically possible to buy fruit regularly to avoid wastage, one can certainly adopt tricks that can prevent the early browning of fruits. Here are some useful ideas to prevent the rotting of fruits during the summer season.
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* Immersing Fruits In Salt-Water
Immersing fruits in salt water before storing them in the refrigerator helps prevent early oxidation. It is a simple process that only requires a few minutes from one's routine. One can simply take some fresh fruits and then wash them with cold water. Following this, one can take a deep vessel like utensils in which a mixture of salt and water must be added. In this water, one can simply put fruit one by one and let it rest for at least one hour. Now, after an hour, one has to take these fruits out and properly wash them with some fresh water. Doing the last step is necessary to make sure that the fruits don't get a salty taste.
* Using Air-Tight Bags For Storage
Another great idea to make sure that the fruits don't turn brown while being stored in the refrigerator is to store them in Ziploc bags that help in locking the moisture. Generally, the air in the refrigerator consists of a lot of bacteria and enzymes that generally interact with the fruit and the natural moisture on the surface of the fruits. The reaction leads to the browning and early decaying of fruits. So, the best way to avoid this problem is to simply store fruits in airtight bags.
* Adding Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains a high amount of citric acid that helps prevent the process of oxidation and also keeps a particular food item fresh for a long time. If one has cut some fruits and is not able to finish them at once, then before storing them in the refrigerator, simply some lemon juice can be sprinkled on top of these fruits. This will help in making sure that the cut fruits that are stored in the refrigerator do not turn brown quickly.
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* Using Honey Water
Using a diluted solution of honey and water is also a technique that is used in many parts of the world to keep fruits fresh for a long time. The mixture is simply prepared by taking one cup of water and mixing two tablespoons of honey in it. This creates a diluted mixture of honey and water that can be sprinkled on the top of the cut fruit. Not only does it give a very good taste to the fruits, but it will also help in keeping them fresh for a long time. This lesser-known hack works well for preventing the early browning of fruits.
* Soaking In Vinegar
While this may sound grotesque, it is quite effective because vinegar can help slow down the browning process by reducing the effects of enzymes on the surface of fruits. One can simply take the fruits of their choice and simmer them in a mixture made of water and vinegar. The mixture is made by taking one part vinegar and two parts water. Now, in that mixture, one can keep one's fruits for at least 30 minutes. One must make sure that the fruits are properly washed and cleaned in water before being consumed to avoid getting a taste of vinegar.
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* Keeping Certain Fruits Away
There are certain types of fruits, such as apples, that release gases like ethylene that help to hasten the process of browning fruits. In this case, such fruits must be kept away from other types of fruits to make sure that the other fruits do not get brown before time. Other fruits that release ethylene gas include avocados, melons, bananas, tomatoes, and many more. Not only do these fruits turn brown quicker on their own, but they also may trigger the browning process of other fruits as well.