How to store ripe tomatoes. How and where to store tomatoes, why you can’t store tomatoes in the refrigerator Where is it better to store tomatoes in the refrigerator
From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, many housewives work hard in their gardens to grow tasty, healthy and, most importantly, natural products. Several beds are certainly occupied by a common favorite - the tomato!
Its bright, ripe and incredibly aromatic fruits, tomatoes, are rich in the hormone serotonin, which gives us a feeling of happiness, vitamins C and A, as well as a whole list of organic acids.
Of course, you can find beautiful, even tomatoes in every store and supermarket. Fortunately, they are full of them all year round.
But is a store-bought copy comparable to a home-made one? Grown with care, incredibly healthy, aromatic and, well, very tasty!
It is no wonder that the goal and dream of many summer residents is to preserve tender multi-nest berries until late autumn. But is it possible? And if so, how to preserve tomatoes at home?
Surprising but true...
From a botanical point of view, tomatoes are nothing more than berries. But in the 19th century Supreme Court The United States decided that when collecting customs duties, tomato fruits should be treated as vegetables.
It is this difference in views that has become the reason for the question so often asked today, what type of crop the tomato belongs to.
Which varieties stay fresh the longest?
The most offensive thing for any housewife is to throw away a product grown with love because it has spoiled. And this, unfortunately, happens, and often. It’s better to play it safe in advance and choose a variety of tomatoes for planting that definitely won’t let you down. As one wise saying goes:
“It’s better to think for one day than to work in vain for a whole week.”
Moreover, nowadays there is plenty to choose from. The number of tomato varieties bred by breeders reaches 25 thousand. Among them there are both mid-late and late varieties. And even a wonderful new product - “bed-beds”, i.e. special long-lasting varieties.
Perhaps many have already had the opportunity to meet some of them:
- "De Barao"- round, slightly oblong fruits of various shades: red, green, yellow, black.
- "San Marzano"- fleshy burgundy fruits shaped like plums.
- "Long Keeper"- the fruits will remain juicy and fresh until February.
- "Giraffe"- round juicy fruits. You can decorate the table with them even on March 8th.
Of course, you can choose one of these varieties. But what to do when you really want to plant some special, too beautiful or too tasty and attractive varieties?
Try to create storage for them best conditions, so you will at least extend their life as much as possible.
How to keep tomatoes healthy and fresh for a long time
Try to find a secluded, dark place in your apartment where the temperature always remains stable and is within 10 °C. The humidity is 80% and there is good air circulation.
This could be a basement, cellar or room, but in no case a refrigerator. In it, tomatoes will lose their herbaceous smell, for which they are so loved, and taste.
Here's the thing! All the flavor of tomatoes comes from acids, sugars and special volatile substances. This entire complex is extremely sensitive to temperature. environment. If it turns out to be lower than required, the aromatic berries will become less aromatic and less tasty.
Recent studies by scientists from France have shown that optimal temperature, at which the production of volatile fragrant substances is enhanced, is 20°C. It is in such warm conditions Tomatoes are left to fully ripen 5 days before consumption.
However, you don’t have to completely forget about the refrigerator. This is a great and easy way to preserve beautiful berries if you intend to eat them within a few days. Or refrigerate before cutting into a salad.
What else is important to know about multi-celled berries in order to keep them fresh for as long as possible:
- Be sure to re-sort your harvest. Do not store whole and damaged, overripe and green fruits together.
Tomatoes of “milk ripeness” are best stored when they have reached their natural size, but are not ripe. As a rule, at this moment the berries acquire a pale pink tint.
- Pick tomatoes from the plant before the night air gets colder than 8°C. If ripe fruits freeze right in the garden, they certainly won’t last long.
- It is better to collect during the day, when the berries are already dry after the morning dew.
- There is no need to wash tomatoes before long-term storage; it is better to wipe each fruit with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol. This way you will get rid of all germs at once.
The stem of tomatoes must be cut off immediately before slicing!
How to store tomatoes in trays and boxes
If you have already decided on the place allocated for storing fruits, it’s time to prepare boxes for them. Cover their bottoms with clean paper or fill them with sawdust.
Then wrap the paper around the fruits, each individually, and arrange them in rows. No more than 3 in one box. Cover each layer with paper or sprinkle with sawdust.
Remember to leave small empty spaces between the fruits for free air circulation. You don't need to pack them too tightly.
Wherever your berries are stored, visit them at least occasionally. Check the condition of each fruit, keep spoiled ones away from healthy ones. There is no need to feel sorry for them, otherwise you may lose the entire harvest.
Make your decision to try delicious tomatoes in advance. A week before, take the selected fruits to a bright and warm room for complete, final ripening.
How to store tomatoes in jars
You can increase the shelf life of berries to five months by placing them in simple glass jars. This method is suitable for both ripe and milk fruits.
1 option. Rinse and dry the tomatoes thoroughly. Place them in a sterilized jar, but do not press too tightly. Add a few spoons of alcohol and cover with a nylon lid.
Roll the jar in your hands. But there is no need to be cowardly and thereby damage the tomatoes. Perform the operation carefully, so that all the fruits get wet.
After this, insert the wick inside the jar and light it with outside. As soon as the alcohol in the jar catches fire, quickly and carefully roll it up.
Option 2. You will need approximately 6 tbsp. l. dry mustard. Pour the first 2 into the bottom of a sterilized jar immediately. Then arrange the tomatoes, adding more to each layer. At the end add another 1 liter. mustard and roll up the jar.
Option 3. Place 9 mm in a sterilized jar. layer of chopped tomatoes and salt. Next we put the whole fruits to the end of the jar, sprinkling each layer with salt. Let's roll up.
How to Preserve Tomatoes That Are Fully Ripe and Ready to Eat
It also happens that the red berries are already overripe, you don’t want to eat them yet, but it’s a pity to throw them away. In this case, use the following method.
Mix water with salt and 9% vinegar in a ratio of 8x1x1. Place clean tomatoes in a jar or pan and fill with the resulting mixture.
Pour vegetable oil on top so that it covers 1 cm of food.
What's the best way to store tomatoes in the refrigerator?
You also need to know how to store fruits in the refrigerator. Each of them has a special shelf for vegetables, and that’s where they need to be placed. The cuttings should face upwards, and between each fruit it is necessary to leave very little space for air to enter.
We must cover each layer with paper, or even better, wrap it around each individual fruit.
Tomatoes should not be stored in the cold for more than 3-4 days, otherwise they will become useless and tasteless.
How to save tomatoes that have started to spoil
The first sign of a tomato “disease” is the appearance of brown or other spots.
But you can fight them too. True, in a more radical way - through pasteurization.
Heat the water to 60°C. It will become like this about 7 minutes after boiling. And immerse the tomatoes in it for literally 3 minutes. After this, dry the wet fruits in the fresh air.
Save your efforts and store food correctly. Enjoy natural, tasty and aromatic tomatoes all year round!
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 period of preservation of freshness of tomatoes is influenced by their variety. 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 facing up (the skin in this area is more delicate, so the weight of the tomato can cause it to deteriorate faster);
- tomatoes in supermarkets are pre-stored in refrigerators, so when room temperature they will be stored less than tomatoes grown independently or purchased on the market;
- after a tomato is exposed 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;
- tomatoes grown independently last longer than those purchased in stores;
- It is necessary to store only tomatoes with the hardest possible skin, on which there are no mechanical damage or signs of disease;
- overripe tomatoes cannot be stored;
- if there are a lot of tomatoes, it is better to store them in wooden boxes(from time to time it is necessary to turn the tomatoes over and inspect them to identify the first signs of rotting);
- 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 completely dry;
- if you cannot avoid storing tomatoes in the refrigerator, then before placing them in the cold, each vegetable should be wrapped in paper or regular newspaper;
- tomatoes ripen quickly at home; to extend the shelf life of tomatoes, you need to separate them with paper or sawdust, preventing them from coming into contact with each other;
- It is not recommended to store tomatoes in a plastic bag or in the refrigerator (condensation in the bag will cause signs of rotting, and low temperatures will accelerate it);
- if the tomatoes are picked along with the branches, then it is better not to remove them (this will extend the shelf life);
- Alcohol will help keep the tomatoes fresh a little longer (with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, carefully wipe each tomato and wait for the substance to evaporate, after which the tomatoes are placed in a place for potential storage).
How long and at what temperature should tomatoes be stored?
Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature.. For 5-7 days, medium-ripe tomatoes do not lose their taste qualities and shape. If the tomatoes are not ripe, then it is better to place them in the open rays of the sun on the windowsill and periodically turn them 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. When exposed to low temperatures, they will begin to deteriorate within a few days.
The process of rotting a tomato begins from the inside. Most often this happens within 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 to be a temperature range of +12 to +15 degrees with an average air humidity of 80%.
Late and mid-season tomato varieties can be stored for up to two weeks at room temperature or in the refrigerator. The main role in this case is played by the degree of maturity of the tomatoes. If the tomatoes are not ripe, they can be stored for two weeks after reaching full ripening.
There are two other ways to preserve tomatoes for 3-4 months. The tomatoes must be thoroughly washed and placed in a jar so that they do not fit tightly together 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 the lid rolled up. traditional way. The jars must be pasteurized and the tomatoes 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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Collecting bountiful harvest With personal plot, we try to preserve the fruits of our labor for as long as possible. This also applies to the harvest of red berries - tomatoes. And everything would be fine when there is private house, but, for example, how to store tomatoes in an apartment, and if they do not have time to ripen, then what to do with green tomatoes? In our article you will find answers to these questions.
Which varieties are suitable for long-term storage?
When choosing a tomato variety, pay attention to its ripening period: there are early-ripening, mid-ripening and late-ripening varieties. Late varieties are suitable for storage.
Did you know? IN late varieties contains the Rin gene: it slows down the ripening of the fetus, stretching the metabolism. Therefore, the pulp and crust of these varieties of tomatoes remain juicy and elastic.
The late varieties include a number of varieties and hybrids: Giraffe, New Year's, large tomatoes Long Keeper, F1, Lazybok and Masterpiece, Khutorskoy and hybrid Khrustik.
Varieties such as Red Cherry, Cherry Lisa, Cherry Lycopa can be stored for 2.5 months. Raceme varieties have very good characteristics For long-term storage: Intuition, Instinct, Reflex. Similar characteristics are inherent in the following hybrids: Monica, Master, Diamond, Viscount, Trust, Resento.
How to properly harvest tomatoes for storage
Whether you keep tomatoes fresh for the winter depends on the conditions in which they were collected.
- Collect tomatoes for storage before frost (night temperature should not drop below +8...+5 °C).
- Harvest tomatoes for storage during the day, after the dew has cleared.
- Use only undamaged and firm tomatoes.
- Sort by size.
- Sort by maturity.
- Remove the stems from each berry, but do not pull them out. This way you can damage the fruit itself. If the stem does not come off, leave it on the tomato.
Did you know? Large vegetables ripen faster than small ones.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes?
The room where tomatoes will be stored must be clean, ventilated, and dark. Tomatoes for storage are placed in 2-3 layers in boxes after preliminary sorting. 
To save everything useful substances in tomatoes and to prevent them from spoiling, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime. Suitable for tomatoes of different ripeness different temperatures: 1-2 °C – for ripe ones, 4-6 °C – for slightly reddened ones, and for green ones – 8-12 °C. Maximum permissible temperature should not exceed +18 °C.
Humidity should also not be neglected: provide a sufficient level of moisture in the room, but do not over-moisten it. It is necessary to inspect the storage bookmark every day.
How to store ripe tomatoes
Experienced agronomists have always known how to preserve fresh tomatoes longer. It is advised to prepare a non-concentrated gelatin solution or apply a wax layer to the fruit. After such manipulations, the fruits are dried and sent for storage. They say that you can extend storage by using alcohol/vodka, 0.3% solution boric acid or a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. All this will completely destroy microbes on tomatoes.
Temperature affects the shelf life of ripe tomatoes. Ripe tomato fruits can be stored for up to one and a half months at a temperature of 1–3 °C without losing their quality.
Ripe tomatoes can be stored in jars by covering the fruits with mustard powder or by “dry sterilization” with alcohol. You can store ripe fruits in paper bags, cardboard boxes, plastic bags, refrigerator or any ventilated area.
Storage conditions for green tomatoes
In folk practice, there are many ways to store green tomatoes until they ripen. In order for everything to work out, it is important to comply with temperature conditions. In order for tomatoes to remain green for as long as possible, the temperature should be between 10–12 °C with air humidity of 80–85%.
For storage, choose medium-sized fruits of green or milky pink color. We spread the fruits in 2-3 layers, with the “butts” on top. Can be stored in cardboard boxes, plastic ventilated boxes, on shelves in the basement. If you store tomatoes in boxes, then cover the fruits with onion peels and keep the temperature at -2..+2 ºС - this will prolong storage.
Materials that prolong storage:
- sphagnum peat;
- sawdust;
- onion peel;
- Vaseline and paraffin (need to be applied to each fruit);
- paper (you need to wrap each individual tomato).
It turns out there is a proven way to store green tomatoes so that they turn red. No special treatments or paints are needed. Add some red tomatoes and hay to the boxes if you want to speed up the ripening process. Bananas are also suitable for these purposes: ripe tomatoes and ripe banana release ethylene, which accelerates ripening. Bring ripening tomatoes into the light - this will speed up the “coloring” of the fruit.
You can store tomatoes as a whole bush. Before frost, you need to hang a healthy bush with green tomatoes in a room where it is dry, warm and has enough light. This upside down position will provide useful elements all fruits.
If the room temperature exceeds 30 °C, completely unripe tomatoes will turn red, their taste will be sour, although it will look like a red tomato. Tomatoes are badly affected by dry air and high temperature: the fruits will be wrinkled with a changed pulp structure. And if there is damp air and low temperature when storing tomatoes, the tomatoes may not turn red at all, diseases will develop, and the fruits will become unfit for consumption.
By following these simple conditions, you can be sure that the tomatoes will last up to 2.5 months or longer.
Where is the best place to store tomatoes?
When wondering how to store tomatoes, we must also think about where to store them. Storage location is very important for this berry. If you live in a private house, then store tomatoes in the cellar, garage (if there is enough moisture and no harmful substances). In an apartment, many people cannot imagine how they can keep tomatoes fresh for the winter. For storage a balcony will do or bathroom. In both options, it is necessary to maintain constant moisture, ensure the absence of light (tomatoes ripen faster in the light) and a moderate temperature. And, of course, do not forget to periodically inspect the fruits for damage or manifestations of possible diseases.
Why you can't store tomatoes in the refrigerator
Important! Only ripened fruits can be stored in the refrigerator.
It is not advisable to store green tomatoes in the refrigerator - they will not ripen. There are certain conditions on how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator.
- Store only ripe berries.
- Place the fruit in the vegetable compartment.
- You can wrap each tomato in paper.
- You can keep tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If you store tomatoes beyond this period, they will lose their taste. Also, the pulp will begin to undergo changes in its structure to the point that you will not be able to eat the tomatoes and will have to throw them away. What to do if tomatoes start to rot
No matter how you try to keep fresh tomatoes longer, some of them can still spoil. Therefore, it is important to inspect the fruits daily. The most common tomato diseases are late blight and bacterial canker. The first appears in the form of vague subcutaneous spots, and the second affects the stalk. The spots are brown in color with a white halo along the edges and have a black border.
The unique taste and smell distinguish freshly cut tomatoes from those that were stored under unfavorable conditions. The refrigerator is considered such an unfavorable storage place for them.
When comparing tomatoes that have been in the refrigerator for some time and without, there is a significant loss in the quality of the product in the first case. The sugar, acids and volatile substances included in the composition are responsible for the special sweet taste and unique aroma of the fruit.
If the temperature is incorrect, the taste properties are destroyed.
At low temperatures, not only volatile substances disappear, but all such compounds are destroyed. Tender berries receive a dose of “frostbite.” The result of the influence of cold is a soft fruit, devoid of taste.
Can tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator?
This method is also possible if it is not possible to keep the room fresh. But it should be remembered that long-term storage (more than three days) causes decomposition. chemical elements. And the former taste and aroma will be lost. But research shows that a tomato is able to regain its lost properties if it is moved from a cold environment to a warmer one. favorable conditions. This is only possible when it has been left at a low temperature for a short time. At optimal conditions substances responsible for taste begin to be produced again.
Attention!
There is no point in storing unripe tomatoes in the refrigerator.
They can ripen only at a temperature not lower than room temperature.
Where to store tomatoes in the refrigerator?
The optimal place for tomatoes in the refrigerator is the compartment for vegetables and fruits. Modern models equipped with a special function to maintain the necessary temperature regime for long-term storage.
If it is not possible to store them in a special compartment, place the tomatoes on a shelf.
Conditions for storing tomatoes in the refrigerator
Observe storage conditions correctly. This will allow the fruits to remain “in shape” longer. After purchasing, immediately remove them from plastic bag. Place in a drawer for vegetables and fruits in one or two rows, but no more. Cover the first row with paper, then lay out the second. Try to arrange it so that the top one does not overwhelm the bottom one.
You can wrap each tomato in paper before placing it in the vegetable drawer. This method of protection will allow them to come into less contact with each other. Spoiled fruits will not negatively affect good ones.
Shelf life of tomatoes in the refrigerator
The exact timing can be predicted if you know exactly when the berries were cut and the conditions of their storage before they came to you.
They should not be stored in the cold for more than 2-3 days. If tomatoes are prepared to be sealed for the winter, do not leave them there for more than a day.
Remember, tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator, but to preserve all their beneficial properties and taste, do so at room temperature.
Who doesn't love fresh, juicy, sweet and sour tomatoes, which most often remind us of hot summer! Yes, this is all true until you put the tomato in the refrigerator, hoping to preserve its freshness and taste. As a result, we feel neither taste nor freshness, but instead of a juicy fruit we get a cold, tasteless, watery product. Why can't tomatoes be stored in the refrigerator? Let's understand the reasons.
What is a tomato? A juicy fruit that combines acids, sugar, aromatic substances, and herbaceousness. Of all the above, it is the fragrant substances that are the most capricious in relation to temperature. Ask any gardener why it is worth growing tomatoes in a greenhouse or at home? And he will answer you, it’s all about the temperature.
In order for a tomato to be aromatic and for you to feel all the notes of taste, it needs to constantly release volatile aromatic substances, which are fully produced only at a constant elevated temperature. At low temperatures, for example, about 5 degrees, the tomato not only does not release volatile aromatic substances, but also destroys those already formed, which, of course, greatly affects the taste of the product. As soon as a tomato enters a cold environment, the first thing we lose is its herbaceousness. It is this that gives the tomato a fresh, interesting taste. Then the form is lost, and the sugar and acid practically dissolve, leaving behind only water.
That is why it is best to store tomatoes at room temperature, but if for some reason you still have to put it in the refrigerator, return it to a warm environment as soon as possible, and perhaps it will be possible to improve the release of volatile aromatic substances.
It is important to know that this does not apply to already prepared dishes, tomato sauces, since after heat treatment There are no aromatic substances there, but the tomato has managed to give up all its juices, sugar, and acids. It is worth considering the fact that many sauces and tomato-based dishes become tastier after they sit in the refrigerator, but the point here is not at all about the tomato and its components.
