Fresh harvest for a long time: why tomatoes cannot be stored in the refrigerator and where is it better to do it

Until recently, tomato lovers did not think about where to store tomatoes. After all, from childhood we were taught: it is better to store food in the refrigerator. It is believed that they spoil more slowly there. But recently, the statement has been increasingly common that this rule does not work for tomatoes. Let's see who is right and who is wrong in this matter.

Why you can't store tomatoes in the refrigerator

Gardeners and housewives are in a desperate debate over whether to keep fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator. Some argue - yes, others strongly disagree with them and believe that there is no place for tomatoes in the refrigerator... Both are partly right.

Adherents of the theory that the refrigerator is not the best place for tomatoes say that the cold temperature kills the aroma and taste of the fruit. This is why many do not refrigerate tomatoes. And there is confirmation of this. It was experimentally found that at low temperatures, the aroma of the fruit is lost. But does this mean that tomatoes absolutely cannot be stored in the refrigerator?

Required storage conditions

Scientists have established empirically that the optimum temperature for storing tomatoes is + 12-13 degrees. Neither the room temperature nor the air temperature in the refrigerator correspond to this level. At home, especially in summer, the temperature reaches 25-30 degrees. And in the refrigerator it is always less than 12 degrees (depending on the settings from +2 to +8). Therefore, neither the first nor the second option is optimal for this product.

Where to store

The best option is a dry, cool room with a temperature of no higher than 12 degrees. For residents of private houses, the best place is the cellar. There tomatoes can be kept fresh and flavorful for several months.

reference... Some gardeners manage to keep their harvests in the cellar until the end of autumn - the beginning of winter.

In an apartment, tomatoes hanging from a cool wall are well stored for up to 10 days. Usually such a wall is on a balcony or loggia.

Experienced housewives to keep harvest as long as possible, it is advised, first of all, to pay attention to the degree of ripeness of tomatoes. If the fruits are already fully ripe, then a warm place can store them for no more than a few days. Then they will start to deteriorate.

Ripe fruits are best placed in the cold. This is correct for extending their shelf life. How long are tomatoes stored in the refrigerator? They can stay there for up to several weeks.

If we are talking about still unripe (green) tomatoes that are harvested ahead of time, then there are peculiarities in the storage rules for them. A refrigerator won't do the trick. To ripen, they need a warmer place. A few weeks at room temperature will help the fruit ripen. At the same time, both taste and aroma will be worthy.

Important! It will not be superfluous to review the stored fruits every few days. If some specimens start to deteriorate, you need to find them in time and remove them from storage.

If the tomatoes go bad

Tomatoes that are not suitable for preservation can be:

1. Recycle... For example, make a roll of homemade tomato sauce or ketchup. Fruit also pickle halves or pieces. Very useful in winter.
2. Wither or dry... This is done both in the oven and in the electric dryer. Dried and dried tomatoes are usually stored in jars, filled with vegetable oil to the top.
3. To freeze... Small tomatoes are frozen in bags whole, large ones - cut (for example, pizza rings). The fruits are also twisted in a meat grinder or mashed with a blender. In winter, they are added to sauces and gravies.

Read also:

Harvestable and easy-to-grow tomato "Women's happiness".

We save the harvest from the cold: how to cover the garlic for the winter.

What low-growing varieties of tomatoes are the most productive.

Tips and tricks for long-term storage

Here are some tips from experienced housewives:

1. When stored in the refrigerator, it is better to place ripe fruits not near the far wall, but closer to the door or in a special drawer for vegetables. It's a little warmer there.
2. When stored, unripe tomatoes are well shifted with dry hay or sawdust.
3. The fruits are better calibrated. For a long time, medium-sized tomatoes with dense skin are able to survive without damaging its integrity.

The best varieties for long-term storage

Breeders have developed many varieties of tomatoes with a long shelf life:

• New Year;
• Lying;
• Winter heart;
• Winter miracle;
• Christmas;
• Autumn gift;
• Snowfall, etc.

Attention! Medium tomatoes, thick-walled, with dense skin, persist for a long time. It is important that the fruit is not damaged.

Let's sum up

If you are a happy owner of a private house, then you probably have a cellar. This is where tomatoes are best stored. Alternative options for apartment residents are a refrigerator or a cool place by the balcony.

If the tomatoes are still green, do not store them in the refrigerator. Feel free to leave the fruits on the windowsill. Or if the tomatoes are fully ripe, opt for a vegetable drawer in the refrigerator. The aroma will weaken a little, but you will extend the shelf life of the fruit. And do not believe those who say that tomatoes should never be kept in the cold. Ripe - you can.