How Long Do Tomatoes Last In The Fridge (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 2 Weeks

Some fruits and vegetables are seasonal, while some are available throughout the year. Some vegetables come under the category of fruits, while some fruits come under the category of vegetables. One fruit/vegetable, that is available throughout the year, all over the world and is certainly a staple ingredient in every single cuisine, are tomatoes.

There is a lot to learn about tomatoes and they are a very healthy ingredient. They can be used to make sauces, stews, and any kind of dish.

Tomatoes are a bit sweet and sour, and they are round, plump, deep red. Tomatoes are edible berries and they first originated from Central and South America, and the word “tomato” was first derived from the word “tomato”.

How Long Do Tomatoes Last In The Fridge?

Shelf life of fresh and canned tomatoes	Time
Fresh tomatoes last on the counter for	7 days
Fresh tomatoes last inside the refrigerator for	2 weeks
Canned tomatoes last on the counter for	1 year to 18 months if unopened
Canned tomatoes last inside the refrigerator for	7 days if opened

After the Spanish introduced tomatoes to the world, people all around the world started using them in their daily meals and found out that they are more versatile than most of the vegetables and fruits used.

Tomatoes can be eaten raw, cooked, and they can also be made into salads, drinks, juices, and many diverse dishes. Though botanically tomatoes are fruits since they are classified as berries, they are referred to as vegetables culinarily due to some reason, since the beginning of time.

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There are different types of tomatoes and they grow very well in temperate climates and they can grow about 1 to 3 meters, which is 3 to 10 feet in height and they latch on to anything strong near them. That is because the stems of the tomato plants are very weak and they are annuals that stop growing at a certain height. Normally, a tomato is about 1 to 10 cm in width and is very ripe and plump. Only ripe tomatoes can be used in cooking.

When somebody buys tomatoes, they will need to store them in the right place at the ideal temperature. Otherwise, they will get spoilt and rotten. Since tomatoes can only be used when they are ripe, they are normally bought ripe straight from the store.

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On the other hand, fruits get rotten faster than vegetables, and so, tomatoes can only stay out for a while without getting spoilt.

Why Do Tomatoes Last That Long In The Fridge?

Normally, fresh and ripe tomatoes bought from the store last on the counter for about a week. Tomatoes that are ripe and still on the plant just last for about the same time as tomatoes on the counter, only maybe about 2 to 3 days longer.

Some people make the tomatoes into a puree or can them as a form of preserving them and put them in containers. These canned tomatoes, when kept on the counter, can last even for a year or more when they are unopened.

To avoid the tomatoes getting rotten sooner, people normally buy them and store them in refrigerators. Anything that is kept at a cold temperature, especially in a fridge, lasts longer than they do on the counter, let it be fresh, used, uncut, and even leftovers. According to facts, fresh tomatoes can last in the fridge for 2 weeks almost, but, canned tomatoes, when opened, can last in the fridge only for a week.

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Conclusion

It is very important to use fresh ingredients and identify the rotten fruits and vegetables so that they can be thrown out. Never use spoilt ingredients in cooking, because this can lead to foodborne illnesses. Some fruits and vegetables take a long time to exhibit the signs of being rotten, but tomatoes exhibit signs almost immediately.

Tomatoes can get rotten even if they are stored in the refrigerator for so long. They become soft, start leaking liquids and they start to mold, and if they exhibit these signs, it’s high time they are thrown out. There are also ways to extend the shelf life of tomatoes and some say it is better to leave them out of the refrigerator.

Keeping the tomatoes in the fridge for a long time can make them wither, but keeping them on the counter longer than intended can also make them rot.

References

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