How long can tomatoes be stored without refrigeration? Fresh harvest for a long time: why tomatoes cannot be stored in the refrigerator and where is the best place to do it

If there were a ranking of the popularity of vegetables, tomatoes would undoubtedly take first place. Moreover, with a large gap from their rivals. Red-sided and juicy, they are good either in a salad or as a snack. It’s just that we don’t get to enjoy fresh tomatoes for long in our latitudes: as soon as autumn makes a serious statement about itself, they disappear from both market counters and store shelves. And I would like to keep it longer fresh tomatoes! After all, canning is not at all the same as elastic, appetizing freshly picked fruits...
We can’t help with freshly picked ones, but we can help with storage. Because we know how to preserve fresh tomatoes longer. And we will be happy to share this information with you.

HOW LONG CAN TOMATOES BE STORED?
First, let's decide what we can count on. Is it possible to save fresh tomatoes until the New Year? Or will they only last a couple of weeks of storage? The answer depends not only on your actions and, moreover, your desire. The shelf life of tomatoes is determined by several parameters that will have to be taken into account if you want to preserve fresh tomatoes for as long as possible:

1. Greenhouse tomatoes are stored worse than those grown in open ground. Perhaps soil-grown tomatoes are simply better suited to the challenge environment and “hardened” by the struggle for survival. But the fact remains: for tomatoes to last longer, they must be from the garden.

2. There are specially bred varieties of tomatoes for long-term storage. The most famous of them are Masterpiece, Longkeeper and Giraffe. Sounding names, isn't it? But the main thing is that they can withstand longer storage and/or transportation than representatives of other varieties. This information will be more useful to gardeners who can grow the vegetables they need on their own. But if you manage to buy fresh tomatoes of just these varieties, don’t miss out.

3. Tomatoes have a feature that not all vegetables have: they can be picked unripe, so that they later ripen during storage. This approach greatly extends the life of fresh tomatoes. Firstly, green tomatoes remain unharmed longer. Secondly, the beginning of their storage in ripe form is delayed.

Ripe tomatoes can be bought about three days in advance, after which uneaten vegetables will begin to wither and spoil. If you immediately put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, you can count on their preservation for a week. Tomatoes with thick skins can stay in the special “vegetable” compartment of the refrigerator for 10 days, but this is already risky. But cool it down fresh tomatoes higher than 2-3°C is not recommended at all: tomatoes do not tolerate freezing well, and after thawing they spoil very quickly.

HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES UNTIL THE NEW YEAR?
If you have never stored fresh vegetables for a long time before, it is unlikely that you have had time to stock up on green tomatoes or choose a specific variety. So you will have to deal with what you have - that is, arrange the storage of already ripened tomatoes. In this case traditional methods, multiplied by discoveries modern science, offer the following methods for storing tomatoes:

1. Storage in dry mustard.
Tomatoes are stored for a long time glass jars and at the same time remain fresh, without a drop of brine or a hint of canning.
To repeat this trick, take several three-liter jars and fresh tomatoes - whole, not overripe, without dents or other damage.
Wash the tomatoes under running water, wipe dry and place on outdoors for drying.
Sterilize the jars and dry them properly too.
Using a dry, clean tablespoon, scoop a generous amount of mustard powder and sprinkle into the bottom of each jar.
Place the tomatoes in jars on top of the mustard. First, a few pieces - the first “layer”. Try not to press them together. Of course, the sides of the vegetables will touch, but this should happen without pressure.
Second important point: place the tomatoes up with the side where the tail was.
Sprinkle the first and each subsequent portion of tomatoes with mustard, sparingly.
At the end, when the jars are full, pour another full spoonful of mustard powder on top and close the lid (sterile and dry, of course).
Roll up the jars with a machine or seal them hermetically in another way.
After this, it is advisable to put the cans on their sides and roll them a little and/or carefully turn them upside down. But don't shake the jars - just distribute the mustard powder evenly over all the tomatoes.
Place the jars in a cool place without access to light (in a pantry, cellar, etc.) and be sure that even in January the tomatoes will remain fresh and tasty.
I wonder how the described method “works”? Everything is quite simple. Tomatoes sealed in jars release moisture very slowly. This amount of water is tiny, but it is enough to interact with essential oils mustard. They, in turn, prevent putrefactive processes in vegetables from developing by suppressing bacteria. To ensure that the method does not fail, choose medium-sized tomatoes for such storage and use at least 4 tablespoons of dry mustard for each jar.

2. Vacuum storage.
Fresh tomatoes in jars can be preserved using another method.
To do this you will need exactly the same three liter jars(sterile and dry, of course), as in the first case, but instead of mustard powder - alcohol.
Wash fresh whole small tomatoes and dry completely. Place in jars, trying not to press tightly, just on top of each other.
Pour 2 full tablespoons of alcohol into each jar filled with tomatoes.
Close the jars with clean lids, but do not roll them up.
Place the jars horizontally and roll them so that the tomatoes are thoroughly moistened with alcohol.
Further actions should be very quick and coordinated, so immediately prepare everything you need.
Place a long wick, matches (lighter), lids and a can-roller nearby.
Remove the temporary lids from the jars.
Place the end of the wick into the jar and light it on the other side.
As soon as the alcohol ignites, immediately close the jar with a lid and roll it tightly.
Do this for all jars.
If you manage to do everything correctly, you will get absolutely whole tomatoes: they will not have time to burn, and the alcohol will instantly burn inside the jar along with oxygen.
The tomatoes end up in a vacuum, which will preserve them for a long time.

HOW TO PROPERLY STORE FRESH GREEN TOMATOES?
Truly long-term storage is only possible if the tomatoes are not fully ripe. Fresh tomatoes of the so-called milky ripeness can be stored not only until late autumn and/or winter holidays, but also until the end of winter. But for this you cannot do without strict adherence to all the rules for the preparation and storage of tomatoes:

1. Buy or collect green and slightly milky tomatoes from your own garden. It is important to do this before the first frost, so that even the tomatoes do not get damaged from the inside. Remove the tails immediately.
2. Once again, carefully review and sort out the tomatoes intended for storage. Leave only ideal specimens: with intact, undamaged skin and without a hint of damage. Not only the safety of each tomato, but also the reliability of the entire stock depends on this.
3. Heat the water to 60°C and put the tomatoes in it for 3 minutes. Do not take the water hotter, so as not to scald the vegetables. But washing in cooler water will not protect tomatoes from bacteria.
4. Wipe each tomato dry and place them in a ventilated area to dry completely. It is better to choose a dry place in the shade for this.
5. While the tomatoes are drying, prepare several boxes for their storage: plastic or wooden. The main thing is clean, dry and not very deep. At the bottom of each, place a sheet of newspaper or other paper moistened with alcohol or vodka without additives.
6. Soak pieces of cotton wool in the same alcohol or vodka and wipe each tomato with it on all sides.
7. After this stage, two options are possible. In the first case, if you plan to eat the tomatoes within a month or a month and a half, then simply lay them out in an even layer on an alcohol-soaked newspaper, cover with the same sheet, and on it place another layer of tomatoes, also covered with paper.
8. Otherwise, to store tomatoes longer, wrap each one with a piece of newspaper or a napkin soaked in alcohol. Place dry sawdust between the bundles.
9. Place the boxes in a dark room with an air temperature of 7 to 14°C and a humidity of no more than 80%. In principle, paper and sawdust will absorb a small amount of water, but it is better not to test their absorbent abilities for strength.
10. Regularly, at least once a week, inspect your tomatoes and mercilessly remove from storage those that show hints of spoilage.

HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES FOR LONGER?
Step-by-step instructions are very convenient, but also Additional Information never hurts. For example, it is useful to know that the substance contained in tomatoes folic acid accelerates their maturation. Therefore, green tomatoes intended for storage should not be kept near ripe red vegetables. But when it's time to use the blank, remove required quantity stored green tomatoes and place next to a ripe tomato or other fruit (banana, apple). In addition to all that has been said, keep in mind that preserving fresh tomatoes means not only preserving their beauty and “marketable” appearance. It is important not to lose the benefits of fresh tomatoes and the vitamins they contain. Decorate New Year's table You can also use pickled vegetables, but the health benefits of fresh tomatoes cannot be replaced by any canned food. Therefore, good luck with your preparations and bon appetit all year round!

Kira Stoletova

Many of us love salads made from fresh vegetables, such as cucumbers and tomatoes. In this article we will look at how to keep tomatoes fresh for as long as possible at home.

Rules for storing tomatoes

At 5-6º red vegetables lose everything beneficial features. The optimal storage temperature is above 20º. In such conditions, tomatoes became more useful and rich in composition.

Red, ripe fruits can be stored for about a week. Again, the shelf life of tomatoes depends on their degree of ripeness, appearance and transportation conditions.

Storing green tomatoes

Green tomatoes cannot be stored in the refrigerator. They will spoil or remain green.

The process of ripening tomatoes should take place at room temperature(15-20º). If the room is too hot, the fruits will stop releasing coloring pigment and will not ripen. It is best if the temperature reaches 13º. Only in this case will they turn red and retain their taste.

Tatyana Orlova (candidate of agricultural sciences):

If there is a need for picked green tomato fruits to ripen faster, it is enough to add 1 red to a group of green tomatoes. After 3-5 days, all the fruits will also turn red. A fresh ripe banana placed in a box of green tomatoes gives the same effect. This happens because ripe fruits release ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening of the fruit.

Properly store fresh tomatoes in the refrigerator in the fruit and vegetable drawer, where optimal temperature. You can also store tomatoes on the bottom shelf. This will keep your tomatoes fresh for as long as possible.

Ripe tomatoes are stored for 2-3 days. Unripe - up to 7 days.

• It is best to store tomatoes by placing them in one row. You can, of course, lay them in two rows, but so that the bottom row is not too compressed.
• If a tomato lies in the refrigerator for several days, and then enters a room at room temperature, it begins to release useful material.
• Wrap each tomato in paper. This will preserve the strength for a long time. In addition, the paper does not squeeze the tomato if the fruits were arranged in two rows.

Storing tomatoes in in a plastic bag will not lead to anything good. The fruits do not breathe, the humidity in the bag increases and after a few hours such vegetables can simply rot.

Storage in a glass jar

Storing tomatoes in glass jars allows you to preserve the fruit for several months. The main thing is to choose tomatoes that do not contain rot or mechanical damage.

A new way that allows you to store tomatoes in this form is as follows. Fresh tomatoes should be thoroughly washed and dried. Next, put them in a glass jar, which must be sterilized. When the jar is full, pour in 3 tbsp. l. alcohol After that, close it with a plastic lid and twirl it well in your hands. Then we need to lower the wick inside the jar and set it on fire. When the alcohol starts to burn, you need to roll up the jar with a metal lid.

Storage on the balcony

You can store tomatoes on the balcony at temperatures from 5 to 12º. How to do it correctly:

1. First you will have to find a box, preferably a wooden one.
2. We cover it with paper and put tomatoes there. Paper can be replaced with cotton fabric.
3. If the tomatoes are laid out in several rows, then be sure to lay paper or fabric between the rows. But it is strictly forbidden to use plastic bags or film.
4. Boxes with vegetables can be stacked on top of each other.

In order to extend the ripening period of green fruits and thereby lengthen the period of its consumption, all collected green tomatoes are divided into several batches and stored at different temperatures. One group of fruits can be placed in a room (for example, on a windowsill). They will reach maturity in 7-10 days. Keep the second batch on the balcony or glass loggia, where the usual autumn temperature is + 12-15 degrees. The third batch is in the refrigerator, in the vegetable compartment.

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 a 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.

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 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 preserve all the beneficial substances in tomatoes and prevent them from spoiling, it is necessary to maintain temperature conditions. 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. The 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. Ripe fruits can be stored 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, cover the fruits onion skins and keep the temperature -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).

Adviсe:

It turns out there is a proven way to store green tomatoes so that they turn red. Don't need any special treatments or paints. Add some red tomatoes and hay to the boxes if you want to speed up the ripening process. A banana is also suitable for these purposes: ripe tomatoes and ripe bananas release ethylene, which speeds up 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 to all the 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 heat: 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 or 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. A balcony or bathroom is suitable for storage. 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. Eat certain conditions 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.
• Tomatoes can be kept 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.

Important! Bacterial canker infects the seeds and spreads with them. These diseases can be overcome by unusual way– “sterilization” of tomatoes.

1. Heat the water to 60°C.
2. Lower the tomatoes for strictly 2 minutes.
3. Dry.
4. Place in another storage area on newspaper or burlap.

Now the question of how to store tomatoes at home or how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator so that they remain fresh for the winter will not confuse you. Use proven ways to preserve tomatoes longer, and let this berry delight you with its taste and aroma.

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