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Tomatoes stored at room temperature. How and where to store fresh tomatoes at home. Storing unripe tomatoes

A fresh tomato is delicious, but as soon as it lies in the refrigerator, this wonderful fruit turns into a dull bad taste. Why is this happening? Science answers.

Chemistry of the tomato

The taste of a tomato is the result of a combination of sugars, acids and volatiles (compounds perceived by our senses as aromas). It is in volatile substances that the reason is hidden. They are extremely sensitive to temperatures, and it is exposure to these substances that kills the wonderful aroma of tomatoes.

The French know a lot about food, and it was their scientists who did research on the effects of temperature on the taste of tomatoes. In particular, the effects of storing fruits at room temperature and in the refrigerator were compared. The result is:

At a storage temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, a ripe tomato not only does not stop the release of volatile aromatic substances, but also enhances their production. Simply put, the tomato became even more fragrant.

A completely different situation was observed at a storage temperature of 4 degrees Celsius. Fragrant substances not only ceased to be released - similar compounds already contained in the tomato began to break down. Moreover, different compounds have different resistance to low temperatures. First of all, and more than others, the substances that give the taste of the fruit the so-called "grassy" or "green" shade were destroyed. It is this that we perceive as a sign of a fresh tomato, and the substances responsible for this quality are destroyed in the refrigerator in the first place.

The problem here is not only in chemistry. The structure of the fetus also plays a role. Tomatoes are tender, and not only near-minus temperatures can harm them. Cool enough environment up to 10 degrees Celsius, and the fetus begins to break down at the cell level. In fact, it's massive frostbite, resulting in a bland, tasteless tomato.

Exceptions: soups and sauces

Against the backdrop of such negative impact refrigerator on fresh tomatoes it seems strange that soups and sauces based on the same tomatoes, when stored in the refrigerator for a short time, not only do not lose their taste, but often even become even better. Why?

The fact is that in the case of a mixture, we are no longer talking about the pure taste of one product, but about a mixture of tastes, and, in fact, the taste of tomatoes is no longer there.

Harold Klee, a professor at the University of Florida, studies flavors in vegetables, fruits, berries, and especially tomatoes. He explains everything clearly.

In processed tomatoes, water is removed first. Naturally, during heat treatment, there is no talk of any volatile aromatic substances - they are not there. So why don't manufacturers isolate these substances prior to processing and then put them back into finished product (tomato paste)? This is done in the case of orange juice, and why not carry out a similar process with tomato products? It turns out that manufacturers just don't rely on the true taste of tomatoes. The flavor comes from herbs and spices. There is no fresh tomato flavor in the pasta. There is only a mixture of seasonings + residual taste of the tomatoes themselves. Just add to tomato soup fresh grated tomatoes at the very end - and you will feel the difference with tomato paste.

If you still need to cool

Tomatoes need to be stored at room temperature, but if you really need to refrigerate them, then consider the following fact:

Even if the tomato was kept in the refrigerator for 6 days, then after it was placed at room temperature for a day, a resumption of the activity of the release of fragrant substances was observed. Of course, in a smaller volume, but still.

Scientists are trying to develop special varieties of tomatoes that are resistant to low temperatures. For this, wild plant varieties that successfully grow in the Andes are being studied.

Reader, have pity on the tomato, it suffers in the refrigerator!

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 there they deteriorate more slowly. But recently, there has been an increasing assertion that this rule does not work for tomatoes. Let's see who is right and who is wrong in this matter.

Gardeners and housewives are frantically arguing over whether to store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator. Some argue - yes, others categorically disagree with them and believe that there is no place for tomatoes in the refrigerator. Partly right and those, and others.

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

Necessary conditions for storage

Scientists have found experimentally that optimum temperature for storing tomatoes + 12-13 degrees. Neither 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

by the most the best option consider a dry cool room with a temperature not higher than 12 degrees. For residents of private houses the best place- cellar. There, tomatoes can be stored fresh and fragrant for several months.

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

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

Experienced housewives, in order to preserve as long as possible, advise 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 be their storage for no more than a few days. Then they will start to deteriorate.

Ripe fruits are still best placed in the cold. This is right for extending their shelf life. How long do tomatoes keep in the refrigerator? They can stay there for several weeks.

If we are talking about still unripe (green) tomatoes that are harvested ahead of schedule, then there are features in the storage rules for them. The refrigerator will not help. They need a warmer place to mature. A few weeks at room temperature will help ripen the fruit. 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 copies start to deteriorate, you need to detect them in time and remove them from the storage location.

If the tomatoes go bad

Tomatoes that are not suitable for preservation can be:

1. Let it be recycled. For example, make a homemade seam tomato sauce or ketchup. Fruits are also halves or pieces. Very useful in winter.
2. Wither or dry. They do this both in the oven and in the electric dryer. Dried and dried tomatoes are usually stored in jars, filled to the top with vegetable oil.
3. To freeze. Small tomatoes are frozen whole in bags, large ones are chopped (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.

Here are some tips from experienced housewives:

1. When stored in the refrigerator, ripe fruits are best placed not near the far wall, but closer to the door or in a special box for vegetables. It's a little warmer there.
2. It is good to shift unripe tomatoes during storage with dry hay or sawdust.
3. The fruits are better calibrated. For a long time, medium-sized tomatoes with a dense skin can be preserved without damage to its integrity.

The best varieties for long storage

Breeders have bred 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 a dense skin, are stored for a long time. It is important that the fruits are not damaged.

Summing up

If you are a happy owner of a private house, then you probably have a cellar. This is the best place to store tomatoes. Alternatives for residents of apartments - a refrigerator or a cool place near the balcony.

If the tomatoes are still green, do not store them in the refrigerator. Feel free to leave the fruits on the windowsill. And if the tomatoes are already 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 absolutely cannot be kept in the cold. Ripe - you can.

Tomato is a simple, but at the same time mysterious fruit, which until the thirties of the twentieth century had the status of a fruit, and then was transferred to the category of juicy vegetables. The literal translation of the name of the tomato is a paradise apple, so in some countries tomatoes are still consumed as a dessert.

Thanks to the B vitamins and lycopene, tomatoes can prevent cancer, reduce the risk of intestinal diseases, and also saturate the body with almost all the necessary trace elements.

How to store tomatoes

The shelf life of red tomatoes without a refrigerator is about 5-7 days. Tomatoes that are pink or slightly greenish in color may stay fresh longer. Storing tomatoes is very easy: the purchased vegetables must be washed and wiped dry, put in a plate or bowl and left in a cool, dry place.

How to store tomatoes in the refrigerator

Keeping tomatoes in the refrigerator is not recommended, because if the temperature is too cold and dry, the fruit may shrink and begin to deteriorate. But if it is necessary to increase the shelf life of these fruits, they can be put in a special compartment (freshness zone), where favorable conditions are created for storing vegetables. In the zero chamber, tomatoes will be fresh for more than 2-4 weeks.

How to freeze tomatoes

A frozen tomato loses its taste due to the fact that it is more than 90% water. The most acceptable option is to use tomato for color or in cooking, because nutrients are stored in it.

1. Wash and dry fresh tomatoes.
2. Choose required size frozen pieces and cut the tomatoes (finely, into quarters, in half, whole).
3. Drain the juice and seeds and pack the tomatoes in a vacuum container or bag.
4. Put on a freeze at a temperature of the freezer from -12 degrees.

Delicious and juicy tomatoes Is the product seasonal? I assure you, they can be successfully stored at home for quite some time. I will tell you how to keep tomatoes fresh for the winter using simple and affordable methods.

General rules

Desired grade

For long-term stocks, it is best to choose certain varieties of tomatoes. For these purposes, medium-late and late varieties are ideal. For example, varieties:

• "New Year" perfectly preserved until the New Year;
• « Giraffe" and "Long Keeper" generally can be stored until spring.

When buying, ask how the vegetables were grown. Tomatoes grown on open field, can be stored much longer than greenhouse ones.

Storage conditions

The optimal temperature for long-term storage of tomatoes is +8 ... +10 ° C and humidity 80%.

The thing is that these vegetables are very sensitive to temperature. This is due to volatile substances, which provide a characteristic rich taste, and are very sensitive to a decrease or increase in temperature. If the heat balance is disturbed, the tomatoes become lethargic and lose their flavor.

Storage

Where to store tomatoes is a very important question. Cool ones are best for this. dark places: basement, pantry, vegetable shelf in the refrigerator, space under the bed.

Preparing vegetables

Before sending vegetables for long-term storage, they must be carefully sorted. Select only whole fruits, preferably milky ripe - almost green tomatoes that have already grown to the size characteristic of the variety and are just starting to turn red.

To destroy all harmful microbes on the surface of the fruit, wipe each vegetable with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or vodka.

How to save tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes can be stored in a variety of ways.

Method 1. In boxes

1. Take wooden or plastic boxes with a slatted bottom. Drawers must be clean and dry.
2. Cover them with paper.
3. Lay the vegetables with the stalks up, shifting each row with paper.
4. For best effect you can wrap each fruit in paper.
5. Fill the box with sawdust or wood peat.

Method 2. Tomatoes for the New Year's table

1. Select milky tomatoes.
2. Wrap each vegetable in black paper.
3. Put in a box.
4. Cover with straw.
5. Store tomatoes in a dark, well-ventilated area at a temperature of +8 ... +10 ° C.
6. For ripening set right amount tomatoes in a bright and warm room for 5-10 days.

Method 3. Gradual ripening

1. Arrange the tomatoes, stalks up, in a cool, well-lit area.
2. Wait for the vegetables to ripen and be ready to eat.

Method 4. In banks

Image	Description
	Method 1 Pour the vegetables with a solution of water, salt and vinegar in a ratio of 8:1:1.
	Method 2 Pour over the tomatoes sunflower oil, which should cover the vegetables by 1 cm.
	Method 3 Place clean and dry fruits in a jar, sprinkling each layer with a spoonful of mustard powder. A three-liter jar should take at least 6 tablespoons of mustard.

Method 5. In a saucepan

1. Sort the fruits according to maturity and size.
2. Cut overripe vegetables into large pieces.
3. Lay vegetables in layers: a layer of chopped tomatoes, salt, a layer of whole fruits, table salt.
4. Repeat the operation until the container is completely filled.

Regardless of the method you choose, remember to check your inventory periodically. If a tomato begins to deteriorate, it must be removed immediately so that it does not infect the rest.

Method 6. In the refrigerator

Alas, the refrigerator is not the best place to store tomatoes. Here, the shelf life of tomatoes reaches a maximum of 7 days:

• To prevent the vegetables from spoiling, wrap each fruit in paper and keep it at a distance from each other.
• It is best to place the tomatoes on the bottom shelf or in the vegetable tray in a single layer so that the vegetables do not choke.
• The plastic bag retains moisture and can cause premature spoilage of tomatoes.

Storage of heat-treated tomatoes

Tomatoes are beautiful not only fresh. Dried, dried, canned and pickled tomatoes can be a great addition to any dish. Instructions for storing heat-treated tomatoes will help you understand all the intricacies.

Image	Instruction
	Sun-dried tomatoes: Store sun-dried tomatoes in a thick cotton bag. Place vegetables in Plastic container and fill them with olive oil. Store the container in the refrigerator. Place sun dried tomatoes in freezer. But be prepared for the fact that when defrosted, the vegetables will lose color.
	Dried Tomatoes: Dried tomatoes can be stored like dried fruits - in a cotton bag. Place vegetables in a jar and cover with wax paper. Fill the paper with wax or resin. You can store dried tomatoes in a dark and cool place. To do this, take any container, cover its bottom with paper and pour tomatoes. Place dried tomatoes in sterilized jars. Add any spices there (salt, pepper, dill, garlic) and fill with refined oil. Close with a nylon lid or polyethylene.
	Canned and Pickled Tomatoes: For many this will be news, but keep canned tomatoes can be no more than 12 months. Pickled tomatoes can lie in a barrel for no more than 8 months. Preservation is well stored at room temperature (pantry is suitable), and pickled tomatoes are stored at low temperature (in the basement, in the refrigerator).

Tomatoes can be stored in the freezer. This option is suitable for cooking various dishes. Except for salads, of course.

Summary

As you understand, you can store tomatoes correctly, knowing best way for certain fruits. In the video in this article you will find a lot more useful tips processing tomatoes.

If you know any other ways to store tomatoes, I'm waiting for them in the comments.

Storing tomatoes involves many nuances. These vegetables are sensitive to foreign odors, so they should be placed away from other foods. In addition, some fruits can speed up the ripening process of tomatoes, and they will spoil faster than the standard shelf life. In addition, the variety of tomatoes affects the period of preservation of freshness of tomatoes. Mid-season and late varieties will last longer than early varieties.

The nuances of storing tomatoes:

• when storing a tomato, it should be placed with the stalk up (the skin in this area is more tender, therefore, under the weight of the tomato, it can begin to deteriorate faster);
• tomatoes in supermarkets are pre-stored in refrigerators, so at room temperature they will be stored less than tomatoes grown on their own or purchased on the market;
• after exposure to low temperatures, its taste properties change, but some of them can be returned if, after cold conditions, the tomato is left at room temperature for 24 hours;
• self-grown tomatoes are stored longer than those purchased in stores;
• it is necessary to store only tomatoes with the most hard skin, on which there is no mechanical damage or traces of disease;
• overripe tomatoes cannot be stored;
• if there are a lot of tomatoes, then it is better to store them in wooden boxes(periodically it is necessary to turn the tomatoes over and inspect them to identify the first signs of decay);
• when storing tomatoes in boxes, the bottom should be covered with paper, and it is better to sprinkle the tomatoes themselves with sawdust;
• before storage, tomatoes do not need to be washed, and their surface must be absolutely dry;
• if it is impossible to avoid storing tomatoes in the refrigerator, then before placing them in the cold, each vegetable must be wrapped with paper or ordinary newspaper;
• tomatoes ripen quickly at home, in order to extend the shelf life of tomatoes, it is necessary to separate them with paper or sawdust, excluding their contact with each other;
• store tomatoes in plastic bag or in the refrigerator is not recommended (condensation in the bag will cause signs of decay, and low temperature will accelerate it);
• if the tomatoes are plucked along with the twigs, then it is better not to remove them (so the shelf life will be extended);
• alcohol will help keep the freshness of the tomatoes a little longer (with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, you must carefully wipe each tomato and wait for the substance to evaporate, after which the tomatoes are placed in a place of potential storage).

How much and at what temperature to store tomatoes

Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature.. For 5-7 days, tomatoes of medium maturity do not lose their taste and shape. If the tomatoes are not ripe, then it is better to place them under the open rays of the sun on the windowsill and periodically turn them over with their unripe sides up. In other cases, tomatoes should be stored in cooler and darker places.

At temperatures below +15 degrees, tomatoes lose their taste characteristics, and the structure of their pulp changes. Store tomatoes in the refrigerator only as a last resort. Under the influence of low temperatures, they will begin to deteriorate after a few days.

The process of rotting a tomato starts from the inside. Most often this happens after 6-7 days. It is possible to extend the shelf life of tomatoes, but the additional period will not be long and will be limited to a few days. The optimal conditions for storing tomatoes are considered temperature regime from +12 to +15 degrees with an average humidity of 80%.

Late and mid - season tomatoes can be stored for up to two weeks at room temperature or in the refrigerator . Leading role in this case plays the degree of maturity of tomatoes. If the tomatoes are not ripe, then they can be stored for two weeks after reaching the full ripening period.

You can save tomatoes for 3-4 months in two more ways. Tomatoes must be thoroughly washed and placed in a jar so that they do not fit tightly to each other, and there is free space. Add a few tablespoons of alcohol or mustard to a jar of tomatoes, and then close the lid tightly. After this procedure, the jar must be thoroughly shaken so that the additional ingredient completely covers the skin of the tomatoes. If alcohol was added, then it must be carefully set on fire and roll up the lid traditional way. Banks must be pasteurized, and tomatoes must be clean. In this state, the tomatoes will retain their freshness and after a few months they will still remain juicy and ripe.

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