6 days Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Avocados are great as part of a tasty breakfast or to make into a dip for nachos, but many people do not realise they are storing them wrong. If you have cut open an avocado and only want to eat one slice, many people on social media recommend storing the unused slice in water, but not only does this not work, it can be dangerous. Storing avocado slices in a bowl will cause harmful bacteria and mould to begin growing on the surface, which is not only unsafe to eat but will cause to fruit to spoil even more quickly.
If you want to stop avocados from turning brown, then Jerry James Stone , a chef, has recommended storing them with an onion. James said: “You know how onions make people cry – maybe you are one of them – well, that same chemical reaction keeps cut avocados green. “If you like onions, you can simply place a slice of it over the top of the avocado, put it in an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge.
If you don’t like onions, simply having them in the same container helps. The transfer of flavour is minimal to none.” Avocados tend to have a short shelf life when cut into due to a process called oxidation, which is when the enzymes inside the flesh of the fruit react to oxygen, which leads to browning.
Onions emit sulfur gases into the air, which slows down the oxidation process, and so avocados stay fresher for longer. All you need to do is place the unused avocado slice into an airtight container with a lid and add a slice of onion as well. You do not need to have a whole onion, as you only need a little slice or chunk to release the gases.
Next, simply place the container in the fridge, and the avocado slice should stay fresh and tasty for one week longer than it normally would. Bear in mind that this method is effective, but adding too much onion can transfer to the avocado if you are not careful. Make sure to tightly seal the container to help keep the avocado safe James said: “What a simple and easy way to fight food waste! You can chop up the onion for future guac (I call it pre-guacing) or use it up in many recipes after enjoying the avocado.
“How cool is that? No wasted plastic. No gross avocado water you dump out. Just fresh, firm, and green avocado.
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