Apples can spoil your other food: Never store these items together
Apples are best stored separately from certain vegetables and fruits (Photo: magnific.com)
Storing apples might seem straightforward, yet some fruits and vegetables can actually hasten the ripening and spoilage of their neighbours. Styler explains which items are best kept apart from apples.
Why apples are better stored separately
Apples emit ethylene - a naturally occurring plant gas that influences the ripening and ageing processes of many vegetables and fruits. When ethylene‑sensitive produce sits alongside apples for an extended period, it tends to lose its freshness more quickly. This is particularly worth bearing in mind if you shop for several days or a week ahead and want to minimise food waste.
Bananas
Ripe bananas themselves actively release ethylene. When stored together with apples, both produce the gas, accelerating the ripening process. To keep bananas fresh for longer, avoid placing them in the same fruit bowl as apples - especially if the bananas are already ripe.
Avocado
Avocados also release ethylene as they ripen. If kept near apples, they may mature faster. So a firm avocado you intend to keep for a few days is best stored away from the apple stash.
Carrots
Carrots are sensitive to ethylene. Exposure can cause them to deteriorate more rapidly in quality and sometimes develop an undesirable taste. Thus, apples and carrots are better kept in separate crisper drawers of the refrigerator, or at least not in the same container.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are equally averse to being near ethylene‑emitting produce. Placed next to apples, they tend to turn yellow more quickly and lose their crisp freshness.
Cucumbers are not the best "neighbors" for apples (Photo: magnific.com)
If apples are stored in the kitchen at room temperature, it is better to keep cucumbers away from them.
Leafy greens
Lettuce, spinach, and other leafy greens are particularly sensitive to storage conditions. Proximity to apples can accelerate aging processes and degrade the quality of the greens.
Therefore, it is best to keep apples separate, and the greens in a special container or bag that will help maintain the necessary humidity.
Where it is better to store apples
If you have a large quantity of apples, it is better to store them separately from vegetables and fruits sensitive to ethylene. In the refrigerator, a separate compartment or container should be used for them.
Also, do not place damaged or slightly rotten apples together with whole ones for long-term storage. One spoiled fruit can quickly degrade the quality of the others.
And most importantly, it is not necessary to completely isolate apples from all products. If you plan to eat the fruit within a day or two, their proximity is unlikely to become a problem. But for long-term storage, separating the products is a simple way to keep them fresh longer and waste less food.
