Why cant tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator?

Answer 1

Tomatoes can suffer what agronomists call "chilling injury" if held at temperatures below about 50 degrees. (The typical home refrigerator temperature is 40 degrees.) The nature and extent of the injury - which mostly involves changes in the tomato's texture rather than its flavor -- depends not only on the temperature and duration of chilling but also on the fruit's ripeness. That's why no simple generalization can be made about the effect of refrigeration on tomatoes.

If a tomato is not fully ripened, refrigeration will stop the ripening process and prevent the development of its full flavor and color. That's the case with those offensive balls of tasteless plastic foisted upon us out-of-season by most supermarkets. Refrigerating them would certainly be adding injury to insult.

But red tomatoes - fully ripened on the vine and fresh from the back yard or farm market - are less subject to chilling injury and may therefore be kept in the refrigerator for a few days without any noticeable deterioration in flavor. Much longer than that, however, and their texture could become mealy.

So if you like tomatoes ripe and cold, the tomato police won't arrest you for putting them in the fridge.

And remember that the main flavor chemicals are volatile, so don't slice your tomatoes (refrigerated or not) until just before serving them.

Answer 2

If you ever stick a tomato in the fridge, you'll notice that it sweats and gets a little damp. Temperatures below 55 degrees damage the cells in the tomato, and cause it to lose flavor and texture.

Unfortunately, most tomatoes bought in a grocery store are not yet fully ripe. You CAN store a tomato in the fridge once it's fully ripened, but the flavor will be diminished a bit.
The refrigerator can, however, help keep sliced tomatoes fresh, and can slow the softening process if you have a tomato that is a bit over-ripe.

Answer 3

Best place for geen tomatoes is to wrap them in newpaper until they turn red, then store them in the refrigerator

Answer 4

This might sound crazy, but I've heard they release some kind of gas as they ripen. So they should be kept in the open.

Answer 5

i always store in the refrigerator (ripe ones)

Answer 6

The cold air is dry and dries out some fruits.

Answer 7

They can be stored in the frige, sorry your 2 dumb 2 know that.

Answer 8

They ripen too fast and will get wilty.

Answer 9

I always do unless they aren't ripe yet.

Answer 10

They lose their flavor aroma & color.