Tomatoes cucumbers and onions are something of a salad Holy Trinity. They add flavor and crunch to almost any plate of vegetables and can even elevate a classic like green bean and tomato panzanella salad. But as wonderful as all three are they’re also finicky foods and if you don’t store them properly they can go bad in a day or two.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
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 Insider Tech | 2016-06-22 14:00:02 |  62,835 Views |
How do you store tomatoes?
Fresh produce has a notoriously short shelf life but its shelf life is shortened even further when you cut it. The USDA warns against leaving cut produce out at room temperature for more than two hours instead recommending the refrigerator and an airtight container. While that sounds simple enough tomatoes onions and cucumbers each have specific characteristics that make them tricky to store. Luckily once you understand their vulnerabilities packing your salad safely is a breeze.
When it comes to storing fresh tomatoes you want to avoid the refrigerator at all costs. This is because it contains an enzyme that breaks down the cell membranes of the fruit when exposed to cold air. This causes the tomato to become bland and gradually change its texture into a mushy mealy mess. These fruits are also known to absorb odors from other produce in the refrigerator. You should always store whole tomatoes at room temperature but once you cut them open the rules change.
If you leave a sliced version out at room temperature it will dry out and shrivel so you have no choice but to put it in the fridge. You can use an airtight container to minimize the damage but even then the fridge will ruin the texture and flavor of the tomato once you put it in there so you should use any leftovers within two days (sooner is always better). Ideally only cut as many slices from this fruit as you need at any one time and store the remainder in one piece with the cut side covered with plastic wrap.
