You're storing your onions wrong! Experts reveal why you should NEVER keep them in the fridge
Everyone knows the frustration of looking for vegetables in the fridge only to find your fresh produce has become a rotten mess.
But if your onions are going off quicker than expected, experts say it's probably because you've been storing them wrong.
While you might think that putting onions in the fridge would make them last longer, it actually has the opposite effect.
This is because cold temperatures speed up the conversion of starches to sugars, which makes the onions turn soft and mushy.
Food expert and author of Little House Living Melissa Alink told The Mirror: 'While whole onions can be stored in a fridge, it is not recommended.
'That is because whole raw onions absorb moisture quickly and can turn softer in the fridge.'
Instead, Ms Alink recommends storing your onions in a dark, well-ventilated place like a cupboard or drawer.
However, be sure not to use a cupboard that is too hot since this will encourage the onions to sprout.
Experts say you may have been storing your onions wrong, as they reveal why you should never put them in the fridge (stock image)
Onions, like most fruits and vegetables, are still alive when we eat them.
That means the cells continue to respire - burning oxygen and sugar to make energy - and this has a big impact on how we have to store them.
When root vegetables like onions get cold, their response is to start converting their stores of starch into sugar to provide energy for the plant.
This is why carrots can be much sweeter if they have been harvested after a particularly cold period.
However, this process also causes onions to become soft and go off faster.
On the other hand, when onions become warm their reaction is to start burning up their sugars to grow shoots and produce a new plant.
Sprouted onions are not poisonous and you can even eat the green shoots they produce.
However, the onions might be significantly more bitter since they will have already consumed a lot of the sugars which give them their sweet and pleasant flavour.
The cold temperature of the fridge speeds up the conversion of starches into sugar in the onions. This makes them become soft and go off faster (stock image)
In addition to temperature, experts say you should also keep onions out of the fridge due to the high humidity levels which can encourage rotting.
Ms Alink says: 'Store your onions in a dry [spot] where moisture cannot seep through to keep them from spoiling or rotting.
'Avoid storing onions in areas such as under the sink or in the basement, where it is humid.'
Ms Alink also advises that you don't keep the onions in the plastic bag they are often sold in.
'Plastic bags will invite a great deal of moisture and make the onions rot faster than you want them to,' says Ms Alink.
Instead, try and find a storage container that allows as much airflow as possible.
Iowa State University advises: 'Place the cured onions in a mesh bag, old nylon stocking, wire basket, or crate.'
If you are using a pair of nylon stockings or tights to store your onions, you can push them one at a time into the legs to make a stack and then tie them off at the top.
Chopped or peeled onions should be kept in the drawer of the fridge with the other fruits and vegetables since they will rot quickly otherwise
This is a good option for long-term storage if you have somewhere to hang the tights as this will allow plenty of airflow to keep the onions fresh.
However, sliced or peeled onions should be kept in the fridge where they can be stored for up to two weeks at the correct temperature.
Ms Alink says: 'Sliced, chopped, and cooked onions should always be stored in the fridge. These types of onions are not suitable for pantries and will rot quickly outside your fridge.'
Unlike whole onions, cut onions should be wrapped tightly in airtight material to prevent them from decaying.
Ethylene gas, a natural hydrocarbon produced by fruits, speeds up the ripening process of plants exposed to it.
Since this can build up in the enclosed confines of the fridge, it is best to ensure delicate fruit and veg are kept in airtight containers.
Ms Alink says: 'Half-cut onions should be wrapped tightly in cling film or plastic wrap and then put into an airtight container, while chopped onions should be put in a plastic zipper bag.'
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