Do fruits stay fresher longer when refrigerated?

Question

(As opposed to being left out on the counter in room temperature)

Answer 1

It depends. Tomatoes, bananas, and some other tropical fruits will go bad in the fridge. Most fruits will last longer in the fridge because the cold temperature prevents mold and bacteria. It also keeps the fruit at its current ripeness longer, which you can use to your advantage. For instance, you can keep unripe fruits at room temperature until they ripen, then refrigerate them. Or, buy unripe fruits and refrigerate them, and they will last a long time (especially fruits that get mushy fast after ripening, like pears).

Answer 2

Fruit does not require refrigeration. On the contrary it can loose its taste and texture if refrigerated. I agree that fruit baskets are a beautiful decoration to any table and I always have one in my house. The secret is to buy only as much fruit as you can eat before it spoils. Replace the one you've eaten with fresh ones and your fruit basket will always look fresh. Different fruit require different period to rippen. It can also be effected by how ripe they were when you purchased them (green bananas keep longer than ones that are already yellow), temperature of the room, and the way they were grown. Conventional fruits last longer because they are treated with chemicals that let them keep looking fresh longer while their organically grown counterparts spoil faster but are healthier for you. Generally apples last the longest and I successfully kept them for several weeks (even though I usually eat them sooner), oranges do pretty decently too. Pineapple is always a great addition to any fruit basket and depending on how ripe it was when purchased, it can keep for 2 weeks easily. Bananas, again depending on how ripe they were during purchase usually last several days to up to a week if really green. Grapes and berries can spoil fast, especially if they are bruised or their skin is otherwise damages. Experiment. Start with smaller amounts of fruit you know you can eat within next few days. You'll soon get a good idea of how long certain fruit lasts in your particular conditions and with this knowledge you can fully unleash your creativity in putting your fruit baskets or bowls together.

Answer 3

Refrigeration of fruit is a means of preserving them but if it goes below the critical temperature then the cells break down, so you actually have to know what temperature your fridge is at. as well as knowing what the critical temperature is.

Generally, however, although they deteriorate more quickly they also tend to taste better at room temperature. As a rule fruit is better the less it is handled. A lot may be gained simply by keeping it in the original packaging out of the sun.

Answer 4

Yes, it will take longer for them to rot or get moldy but the tradeoff is that you lose a lot of flavor by refrigerating most fruit. Bringing it back to room temperature does NOT return the lost flavor, either.

Bert

Answer 5

Yes, that's because the lower temperature in the refrigerator slows the ripening of the fruit.

Answer 6

i have to say yes the ones that get left out get moisture in them and start to rot after a couple of day versus the fridge ones will last almost a week

Answer 7

bananas no others yes

Answer 8

When they are "opened", yes.

Answer 9

NOOOOO!!! they get mushy and rotten.