>How Long Can You Store Fruit and Vegetables? Fresh, Frozen, Canned or Refrigerated?

How Long Will Fruits and Vegetables Keep:
On the shelf, in the fridge, canned or frozen?

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With the cost of food as high as it is, and to preserve the taste and nutritional benefit of vegetables and fruits, it is important to know how long food will keep its taste, texture and nutritional value using the available storage methods at home: the refrigerator, freezer, on the counter or canned. The table below lists the estimated storage life, for best quality, for various fruits, vegetables and products from these for each of the home storage methods. Canned and frozen fruit, vegetables and products may be safe beyond these dates if their packaging is intact and the temperatures were maintained; but they are likely to show degradation in text, appearance and texture.

This chart assumes that you started with ripe, but not over fruit fruit and vegetables that were not bruised, moldy, cut open or otherwise damaged. See the explanation at the bottom of the page, following the chart for more details of assumed storage conditions.

Fruit or vegetable	Form	Optimal storage temperature (and other conditions, if applicable		Optimal humidity	Storage Life						Comments
		F	C		At optimal storage temperature and humidity	At room temperature on the counter	Basement,  or other cool, dark storage area (40 - 65 F)	Refrigerated (35 - 40 F)	Frozen (0 F)	Canned (commercial or properly home canned)
Apples	fresh	30-40	-1-4	90-95	1-12 months	1 week		3 weeks	1 year	1 year	Chill sensitive stored at 35-40 F (2-4 C)
applesauce	canned	40 - 60		not applicable				2 weeks	18 months	2 years
apple butter	canned			not applicable				6 weeks	2 years	5 years
apple jelly	canned			not applicable				6 weeks	not suitable	1 year
Apricots	fresh	31-32	-1-0	90-95	1-3 weeks
Apricot jam
Apricots	fresh	31-32	-1-0	90-95	1-3 weeks
Artichokes	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Artichokes, Jerusalem	fresh	31-32	0-2	90-95	4-5 months
Asparagus	fresh	32-35		95-100	2-3 weeks
Avocados, ripe	fresh	38-45	3-7	85-95
Avocados, unripe	fresh	45-50	7-10	85-95							Keep away from ethylene producing fruits
Bananas, green	fresh	62-70	17-21	85-95
Bananas, ripe	fresh	56-60	13-16	85-95
Basil	fresh	52-59	11-15	90-95
Beans, dry	fresh	40-50		40-50	6-10 months
Beans, green or snap	fresh	40-45		95	7-10 days
Beans, sprouts	fresh	32	0	95-100	7-9 days
Beans. Lima	fresh	37-41	0	95	5-7 days
Beets	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Beets, bunched	fresh	32	0	98-100	10-14 days
Beets, topped	fresh	32	0	98-100	4-6 months
Blackberries	fresh	32-33	0-1	90-95	2-3 days
Blueberries	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Bok Choy	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Broccoli	fresh	32	0	95-100	10-14 days
Brussels Sprouts	fresh	32	0	90-95	3-5 weeks
Bunched Greens	fresh	32	0	90-95							Beets, Chard, Green Onions, Mustard, Parsley, Radish, Spinach, Turnip
Cabbage, Chinese	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-3 months
Cabbage, early	fresh	32	0	98-100	3-6 weeks
Cabbage, late	fresh	32	0	98-100	5-6 months
Cantaloupe	fresh	36-38	2-3	90-95
Carrots, bunched	fresh	32	0	95-100	2 weeks						Ethylene may cause a bitter flavor
Carrots, immature	fresh	32	0	98-100	4-6 weeks
Carrots, mature	fresh	32	0	98-100	7-9 months
Cauliflower	fresh	32	0	95-98	3-4 weeks
Cauliflower	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Celery	fresh	32	0	98-100	2-3 months
Celeriac	fresh	32	0	97-99	6-8 months
Chard	fresh	32	0	95-100	10-14 days
Cherries	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Cherries, sour	fresh	32	0	90-95	3-7 days
Cherries, sweet	fresh	30-31		90-95	2-3 weeks
Chicory	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Chicory, witloof	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-4 weeks
Chinese Pea Pods	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Coconuts	fresh	55-60	13-16	80-85							Extended storage 32-35 F (0-2 C)
Collards	fresh	32	0	95-100	10-14 days
Corn, sweet	fresh	32	0	95-98	5-8 days
Cranberries	fresh	38-42	3-6	90-95
Cucumbers	fresh	50-55		95	10-14 days
Currants	fresh	31-32		90-95	1-4 weeks
Eggplant	fresh	46-54		90-95	1 week
Elderberries	fresh	31-32		90-95	1-2 weeks
Endive	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-3 weeks
Escarole	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Escarole	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-3 weeks
Figs	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Garlic	fresh	32	0	65-70	6-7 months						May be stored at 55-70 F (13-21 C) for shorter periods
Ginger Root	fresh	60-65	16-18	65-70
Gooseberries	fresh	31-32		90-95	3-4 weeks
Grapefruit	fresh	55-60	13-16	90-95
Grapes	fresh	31-32		85	2-8 weeks
Green Beans	fresh	40-45	4-7	90-95
Green Peas	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Greens, leafy	fresh	32	0	95-100	10-14 days
Guavas	fresh	45-50	7-10	90-95
Herbs	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Horseradish	fresh	30-32		98-100	10-12 months
Jicama	fresh	55-65		65-70	1-2 months
Kale	fresh	32		95-100	2-3 weeks
Kiwi, ripe	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Kiwi, unripe	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Kohlrabi	fresh	32	0	98-100	2-3 months
Leeks	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-3 months
Lemons	fresh	52-55	11-13	90-95
Lettuce	fresh	32	0	98-100	2-3 weeks
Limes	fresh	48-55	9-13	90-95
Lychees	fresh	40-45	4-7	90-95
Mangos	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95
Melons, Casaba/Persian	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95							Riper melons may be stored at 45-50 F (7-10 C)
Melons, Crenshaw	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95							Riper melons may be stored at 45-50 F (7-10 C)
Melons, Honey Dew	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95							Riper melons may be stored at 45-50 F (7-10 C)
Mushrooms	fresh	32	0	95	3-4 days
Napa	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Nectarines	fresh	31-32		90-95	2-4 weeks
Okra	fresh	45-50		90-95	7-10 days
Onions	fresh	32-35	0-2	65-75							May be stored at 55-70 F (13-21 C) for shorter period
Oranges	fresh	40-45	4-7	90-95
Oranges	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Papayas	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95
Parsley	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-3 months
Parsnips	fresh	32	0	98-100	4-6 months
Peaches	fresh	31-32		90-95	2-4 weeks
Pears	fresh	29-31		90-95	2-7 months
Peas, green	fresh	32	0	95-98	1-2 weeks
Peas, southern	fresh	40-41		95	6-8 days
Peppers, hot chili	fresh	32-50		60-70	6 months
Peppers, sweet	fresh	45-55	7-10	90-95	2-3 weeks
Persimmons	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Pineapples	fresh	50-55	10-13	85-95							Odor may influence avacados
Plums	fresh	31-32		90-95	2-5 weeks
Pomegranates	fresh	41-50	5-10	90-95
Potatoes	fresh	45-50	7-10	90-95
Precut Fruit	fresh	32-36	0-2	90-95
Precut Vegetables	fresh	32-36	0-2	90-95
Prunes	fresh	31-32		90-95	2-5 weeks
Pumpkins	fresh	50-55		65-70	2-3 months
Quinces	fresh	31-32		90	2-3 months
Quinces	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Radishes, spring	fresh	32	0	95-100	3-4 weeks
Radishes, winter	fresh	32		95-100	2-4 months
Raspberries	fresh	31-32		90-95	2-3 days
Rhubarb	fresh	32	0	95-100	2-4 weeks
Rutabagas	fresh	32	0	98-100	4-6 months
Salad Mixes	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Salsify	fresh	32		95-98	2-4 months
Spinach	fresh	32		95-100	10-14 days
Sprouts	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Squashes, summer	fresh	41-50		95	1-2 weeks
Squashes, winter	fresh	50		50-70	1-6 months
Strawberries	fresh	32	0	90-95	3-7 days
Sweet Potatoes	fresh	55-60		85-90	4-7 months
Tangerines	fresh	32-35	0-2	90-95
Tangerines	fresh	40-45	4-7	90-95
Tomatoes, mature green	fresh	55-70		90-95	1-3 weeks						Riping can be delayed by storing at 55-60 F (13-16 C)
Tomatoes, ripe	fresh	55-70		90-95	4-7 days
Turnip greens	fresh	32		95-100	10-14 days
Turnips	fresh	32	0	95	4-5 months
Watercress	fresh	32		95-100	2-3 weeks
Watermelon	fresh	55-70	13-21	85-95							Keep away from ethylene producing fruits
Artichoke, Jerusalem							2-5 months
Asparagus								2-3 weeks
Bean & pea, dry	31-32	90-95			1 year
Bean, green or snap	40-45	90-95			7-10 days
Bean, lima	37-41	90-95			5-7 days
Beet (topped)	32	90-95			3-5 months
Broccoli	32	90-95			10-14 days
Brussels Sprouts	32	90-95			3-5 weeks
Cabbage, late	32	90-95			3-4 months
Cabbage, Chinese	32	90-95			1-2 months
Carrot	32	90-95			4-5 months		trim tops to 1/2"
Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Chard Collard Greens Corn, sweet Cucumber Eggplant Endive, escarole	32 32 32 32 32 32 50-55 45-55 32	90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95			2-4 weeks 3-4 months 2-3 months 7-10 days 10-14 days 4-8 days 10-14 days 1 week 2-3 weeks
Garlic, dry	32	65-70			6-7 months		1, do not remove skins

Table I. Storage Requirements for Fruits and Vegetables.             Commodity Storage Temperature* (°F) Relative Humidity (%) Average Storage Life Storage Notes             Vegetables                 Bean & pea, dry Bean, green or snap Bean, lima Beet (topped) Broccoli Brussels Sprout Cabbage, late Cabbage, Chinese 31-32 32-36 32-40 40-45 37-41 32 32 32 32 32 90-95 95-100 65-70 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 1 year 7-10 days 5-7 days 3-5 months 10-14 days 3-5 weeks 3-4 months 1-2 months         Carrot 32 90-95 4-5 months trim tops to 1/2"       Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Chard Collard Greens Corn, sweet Cucumber Eggplant Endive, escarole 32 32 32 32 32 32 50-55 45-55 32 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 2-4 weeks 3-4 months 2-3 months 7-10 days 10-14 days 4-8 days 10-14 days 1 week 2-3 weeks       Garlic, dry 32 65-70 6-7 months 1, do not remove skins       Horseradish Kale Kohlrabi Leek Lettuce Melon, muskmelon (Cantaloupe) Melon, honeydew Melon, watermelon Mushroom Okra 30-32 32 32 32 32 32-40 45-50 40-50 32 45-50 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 95 85-90 85-90 80-85 90 90-95 10-12 months 10-14 days 2-4 weeks 1-3 months 2-3 weeks 5-14 days 3-4 weeks 2-3 weeks 3-4 days 7-10 days Onion, dry 32 65-70 1-8 months 1, do not remove skins       Onion, green Parsley Parsnip Pea, green 32 32 32 32 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 3-5 days 1-2 months 2-6 months 1-3 weeks Pepper, dry Pepper, sweet Potato, late Pumpkin 32-50 45-50 40-45 50-55 60-70 90-95 90 70-75 6 months 2-3 weeks 2-9 months 2-3 months 4 4 4 2, 4       Radish Rhubarb Rutabaga Salsify Spinach Squash, summer 32 32 32 32 32 40-50 90-95 95 90-95 90-95 90-95 90 3-4 weeks 2-4 weeks 2-4 months 2-4 months 10-14 days 5-14 days         Squash, winter Sweet Potato Tomato, mature green Tomato, colored, firm 50-55 55 55-70 46-50 50-75 85-90 85-90 85-90 2-6 months 4-6 months 1-6 weeks 4-10 days 2 1, 4 2, 4 2, 4       Turnip 32 90-95             Fruits             Apple 30-40 90 3-8 months 4       Apricot Avocado 31-32 50-55 90 90-95 1-2 weeks 3-10 days Blackberry Blueberry Cherry, sour Cherry, sweet 31-32 31-32 32 30-31 90-95 90-95 90-95 90-95 2-3 days 2 weeks 3-7 days 2-3 weeks 3 3 3 3       Grapefruit Grape Orange Peach 40-50 31-32 32-40 31-32 85-90 85 85-90 90 4-6 weeks 2-8 weeks 3-10 weeks 2-4 weeks       Pear 29-31 90-95 2-4 months 4       Plum 31-32 90-95 2-4 weeks       Raspberry 31-32 90-95 2-4 days 3       Strawberry 32 90-95 5-7 days 3             1 - do not wash, brush off excess soil 2 - wash with 1 1/2 teaspoons liquid chlorine laundry bleach (5.25 percent sodium hypochloride) in one gallon of water 3- do not wash before storing, rinse just before using 4- see detailed section on storing this product *Note the storage temperatures of several commodities ranges from 45-55°F. Most fruits and vegetables of tropical and subtropical origin may be damaged by cool temperatures. Chilling injury, a result of prolonged exposure to low but not freezing temperatures, may interrupt the ripening process. Symptoms of chilling injury include dark circular pits on the surface, shriveling, internal darkening, loss of the ability to ripen and the development of off-flavor and poor texture. Careful attention to the storage conditions will help achieve maximum post-harvest life.                             Table II. Ideal Temperatures and Humidity Levels for Curing Vegetables             Commodity Curing Temperature (°F) Curing Relative Humidity (%) Length of Curing Time Storage Temperature after curing (°F)             Irish Potato Onion Pumpkin Sweet Potato Winter Squash (except acorn) 60-70 60-80 80-85 80-95 80-85 80-90 40-50 80-90 95 80-90 10-14 days 3-7 days 10 days 10 days 7-14 days 35-45 32 55-60 55 55-60

Crops that may benefit from rinsing with water and very diluted chlorine bleach are noted in Table I.

Curing Vegetables to Improve Shelf-life

Several vegetables benefit from post-harvest curing. Curing heals or suberizes injuries from harvesting operations. It thickens the skin, reducing moisture loss and affording better protection against insect and microbial invasion. Curing is usually accomplished at an elevated storage temperature and high humidity.

Produce can be cured in home storage areas. Temperature and humidity should be managed as accurately as possible. A space heater in an enclosed area can provide the needed heat for curing. Humidity can be increased by over-laying containers with sheets of plastic.

In Garden Storage

Root crops such as beets, carrots, rutabagas, parsnips and turnips can be left in the garden into late fall and early winter. A heavy mulch of straw will help prevent the ground from freezing so the roots can be dug when needed. The mulch will also maintain the quality of the roots, as it will reduce repeated freezing and thawing of the vegetables. Many people prefer the taste of these root crops after they have been frosted because their flavors become sweeter and milder.

When temperatures drop low enough to freeze the ground under the mulch, finish harvesting the roots. Cut off all but one-half inch of the leafy top and store at 32° to 40°F in high humidity to reduce shriveling.

Recommended Handling of Specific Vegetables and Fruits

Irish Potatoes ; Late-crop potatoes are better for long-term storage than early potatoes since outdoor temperatures are usually lower when they are harvested. After harvest, cure late potatoes by holding them in moist air for 1 to 2 weeks at 60 to 75°F. Wounds will not heal over at 50°F or below. After curing, lower the storage temperature to about 40-45°F. Potatoes will keep even longer at 35-40°F but at 35°F, potatoes tend to become sweet. This condition can be corrected by holding the potatoes at about 70°F for a week or two before you use them.

Potatoes will keep well for several months in a cool basement or cellar. They keep best in moderately moist air which helps prevent shriveling. Do not wash potatoes before they are put into storage.

Store potatoes in the dark; exposure to light causes them to turn green. The green pigment contains the toxic alkaloid solanine. Green sections of potatoes should be removed before cooking.

Onions can be harvested when the tops have fallen over and begun to dry. Do not bend over the tops during the growing season to "force the energy into the bulb." This practice reduces the growth of the onions as they will not be able to translocate sugars to the bulb for storage.

Commercially, onions are dug, windrowed and allowed to cure in the field before they are picked up. Home gardeners should cure onions after harvest by spreading them in a single layer on screens in the shade or in a well-ventilated garage or shed for 1 to 2 weeks or until the tops are completely dry and shriveled. If the bulbs are exposed to full sun, prevent sunscald by covering with a light-weight cloth. When the tops are dry, they should be trimmed to 1 inch lengths. Leave the onion's dry outer skins on; they help reduce bruising and shrinking and act as an insect barrier.

Store onions in shallow boxes, mesh bags or hang them in old nylons in a cold, dry, well-ventilated room. The tops may be left untrimmed and braided together. Temperatures close to 32°F will give the longest storage. Products prone to absorb odors or flavors should not be stored close to onions.

Sweet and Hot Peppers ; Mature, green bell peppers can be kept for 2 or 3 weeks if handled properly. Firm, dark-green peppers free of blemishes and injury are best for storage.

To prevent chilling injury, pick peppers just before frost or before frost threatens if daytime temperatures are consistently below 45°F. Wash them with water containing 1 1/2 tsp. of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Dry and sort according to maturity and firmness. Store peppers in boxes lined with plastic or in plastic bags which have several 1/4" holes punched in them to maintain high humidity. The temperature should be between 45 and 50°F. Fully mature green peppers may turn red during storage.

Hot chile peppers are easiest to store after they are dry. One exception is habanero or Scotch bonnet type peppers. These do not dry well except in a dehydrator. Peppers can be dried by either pulling the plants and hanging them upside down or by picking the peppers from the plants and stringing together. Ripe chili peppers can be dried in a forced air dehydrator, but it is usually not necessary to do so.

Tomatoes ; With care, mature green tomatoes will keep and ripen for about 4 to 6 weeks in the fall. Some cultivars have been developed for even longer storage. Tomatoes from nearly spent vines are more subject to decay and are usually not as good quality as those from vigorous vines. A late planting of tomatoes will provide vigorous vines from which fruit can be harvested for storage.

Harvest tomatoes just before the first killing frost. If an unexpected frost occurs, undamaged fruits can be salvaged and ripened. Prevent chilling injury to the fruit by harvesting everything when temperatures drop regularly to 32° to 50°F.

To store, pick the tomatoes and remove the stems. Reduce rots by disinfecting fruits by washing in water with 1 1/2 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Dry thoroughly with a soft cloth.

Pack tomatoes 1 or 2 layers deep in shallow boxes. Reduce bruising by separating those showing red; they will ripen sooner and can be used first.

Pumpkins and Winter Squash ; Harvest mature fruit with hard rinds before frost. Leave the stem on when cutting from the plants to prevent decay organisms from entering. Pumpkins and winter squash will keep best if they are cured for 10 days at 80-85°F. Acorn squash, however, should not be cured but stored at 45°F to prevent stringiness.

Apples ; Many cultivars of apples store moderately well under home storage conditions for up to six months. Late maturing varieties are best suited to storage. These apples can be stored in baskets or boxes lined with plastic or foil to help retain moisture. Always sort apples carefully and avoid bruising them. The saying "one bad apple spoils the barrel" is true because apples give off ethylene gas which speeds ripening. When damaged, ethylene is given off more rapidly and will hasten the ripening of other apples in the container. Because of their sugar content, apples can be stored at 30-32°F without freezing the tissue. In general, apples ripen about four times as fast at 50°F as at 32°F, so they should be kept as close to 32°F as possible for long-term storage.

Apples often pass their odor or flavor to more delicately flavored produce and the ethylene given off by apples can accelerate ripening in other crops. When possible, store apples separately.

Pears ; For good flavor and texture, pears, except for 'Seckel' must be ripened after harvest. Pick pears when they are fully mature. Fruit is ready to harvest while it is quite firm but the color has lightened to a pale green. It should part easily from the branch when you lift up on the fruit and twist. Pears left to ripen on the tree tend to become grainy or stringy. The center also may turn brown before the exterior shows deterioration.

Pears ripen quickly after harvest when held at 60 to 65°F. Ripening will take 1 to 3 weeks, depending on the type of pear. After ripening, pears should be canned or preserved. To keep pears longer in storage, sort for defects after picking and place sound fruit into cold storage at 29-31°F and 90% humidity. Ripen small amounts as needed, by moving them to a warmer location, 60-65°F. Too high of temperatures (75°F and higher) will cause the fruit to break down without ripening.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to recognize contributions made by co-author Susan D. Schoneweis to the first edition of this publication.

Temperature
All fruits and vegetables have a 'critical temperature' below which undesirable and irreversible reactions or 'chill damage' takes place. Carrots for example blacken and become soft, and the cell structure of potatoes is destroyed. The storage temperature always has to be above this critical temperature. One has to be careful that even though the thermostat is set at a critical temperatures for various fruits and vegetables.

temperature above the critical temperature, the thermostatic oscillation in temperature does not result in storage temperature falling below the critical temperature. Even 0.5°C below the critical temperature can result in chill damage. Table 1 gives the

	Temperature °C	Relative humidity %	Maximum storage time recommended (ASHRAE handbook 1982)	Storage time in cold stores for vegetables in tropical countries
Apple	0-4	90-95	2-6m	-
Beetroot	0	95-99	-	-
Cabbage	0	95-99	5-6m	2m
Carrots	0	98-99	5-9m	2m
Cauliflower	0	95	2-4w	1w
Cucumber	10-13	90-95
Eggplant	8-10	90-95
Lettuce	1	95-99
Leeks	0	95	1-3m	1m
Oranges	0-4	85-90	3-4m
Pears	0	90-95	2-5m
Pumpkin	10-13	70-75
Spinach	0	95	1-2w	1w
Tomatoes	13-21	85-90

ref: http://www.appropedia.org/Cold_storage_of_fruits_and_vegetables_(Practical_Action_Brief)

 

Freezing Injury. Temperatures that are too low can be just as damaging as those too high. Freezing will occur in all commodities below 32°F. Whether injury occurs depends on the commodity. Some can be repeatedly frozen and thawed without damage, while others are ruined by one freezing. Table 1 shows the highest freezing point for most fruits and vegetables. Table 3 lists susceptibility to freezing injury. Produce that is likely to be injured by one freezing is classified as "most susceptible." The "moderately susceptible" produce will recover from one or two freezings. Produce which is "least susceptible" can survive several freezings without injury.

Injury from freezing temperatures can appear in plant tissues as loss of rigidity, softening and water soaking. Injury can be reduced if the produce is allowed to warm up slowly to optimum storage temperatures, and if it is not handled during the thawing period. Injured produce should be marketed immediately, as freezing shortens its storage life.

Chilling Injury. Fruits and vegetables that require warmer storage temperatures (40 to 55°F) can be damaged if they are subjected to near freezing temperatures (32°F). Cooler temperatures interfere with normal metabolic processes. Injury symptoms are varied and often do not develop until the produce has been returned to warmer temperatures for several days. Besides physical damage, chilled produce is often more susceptible to disease infection. Table 4 lists susceptible fruits and vegetables, and characteristic symptoms of chilling injury.

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/htmpubs/4135.htm

Chilling injury

Many vegetables and fruits store best at temperatures just above freezing, while others are injured by low temperatures and will store best at 45 to 55 degrees F. Both time and temperature are involved in chilling injury. Damage may occur in a short time if temperatures are considerably below the danger threshold, but some crops can withstand temperatures a few degrees into the danger zone for a longer time. The effects of chilling injury are cumulative in some crops. Low temperatures in transit, or even in the field shortly before harvest, add to the total effects of chilling that might occur in storage. (7)

Crops such as basil, cucumbers, eggplants, pumpkins, summer squash, okra, and sweet potatoes are highly sensitive to chilling injury. Moderately sensitive crops are snap beans, muskmelons, peppers, winter squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. (8) These crops may look sound when removed from low temperature storage, but after a few days of warmer temperatures, chilling symptoms become evident: pitting or other skin blemishes, internal discoloration, or failure to ripen. Tomatoes, squash, and peppers that have been over-chilled may be particularly susceptible to decay such as Alternaria rot. (7)

These products can be iced.	These items are damaged by direct contact with ice.
Artichokes Asparagus Beets Broccoli Cantaloupes Carrots Cauliflower Endive Green Onions Leafy Greens Radishes Spinach Sweet Corn Watermelon	Strawberries Blueberries Raspberries Tomatoes Squash Green Beans Cucumbers Garlic Okra Bulb Onions Romaine Lettuce Herbs

ref: http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/postharvest.html#postharvest

¹⁾ Top icing the products may be very effective keeping the temperature low and the product surface close to 100% humidity.

²⁾ Spraying with water may be effective by keeping the temperature low (evaporative cooling) and the surface 100% humid.

³⁾ Products sensitive to ethylene should not be stored together with products producing ethylene. Exposure to ethylene may soften the flesh, adding bitter taste to the product or/and accelerate ripening.

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Answers to Common Questions

• Why should cooked marmalade be made in small batches?
  If a larger quantity of juice is used, it will be necessary to boil it longer thus causing loss of flavor, darkening of the maramalade, and toughening of the finished product.  It really doesn't work. Trust me; I've tried many times!
• Should marmalade be boiled slowly or rapidly?
  It should be boiled rapidly, since long, slow boiling destroys the pectin in the fruit juice.
• What do I do if there's mold on my marmalade?
  Discard jams and jellies with mold on them. The mold could be producing a mycotoxin (poisonous substance that can make you sick). USDA and microbiologists recommend against scooping out the mold and using the remaining jam or marmalade.
• Why did my marmalade ferment, and what do I do?
  Jellied fruit products may ferment because of yeast growth. This can occur if the product is improperly processed and sealed, or if the sugar content is low. Fermented fruit products have a disagreeable taste. Discard them.
• What happens if my jam or marmalade doesn't gel?
  Remaking cooked runny jam or marmalade instructions can be found on the U.Ga. website. Directions about remaking uncooked jams or jellies can be found in a CES Publication from Ohio State University.

If you want to learn how NOT to make marmalade, read this entertaining account from this Australian woman who is either incredibly cheap or a slow learner... but either way, it's a funny story!

And if our recipe is too EASY for you and you would like a much more complicated approach that will take about 4 hours to complete, try Delia Smith's (a cook who is famous in the UK) orange marmalade recipe!

 

Canning Books, Supplies and Accessories

These are my favorite essential canning tools, books and supplies. I've been using many of these for over 50 years of canning! The ones below on this page are just the sampling of. my preferred tools. but you can find much more detailed and extensive selections on the pages that are linked below.

• Vacuum Foodsealers for freezing, dried foods, and refrigerated foods - the FoodSaver line
• Selecting a KitchenAid mixer and attachments for home canning
• Steam Juicers
• Strainers, pit removers, seed-skin-stem removers, jelly strainers, etc. All types, makes and prices (from $19 to $350)
• Cherry pitters reviews, prices and ordering
• Food dehydrators - easy and fast to dry your own fruits, veggies, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.