How long does avocado last once cut?
In this brief article, we will answer the question how long does avocado last once cut, its shelf life and how to tell if it is bad.
How long does avocado last once cut?
Avocados cut horizontally and stored properly in the refrigerator can easily last for 3 – 4 days in the refrigerator. To ensure maximum shelf life, make sure you cut the avocados side-down so as to expose minimum flesh. This is the horizontal cut.
Avocado is a fruit consumed all around the world for its health benefits. It has a single large seed in the middle and is used for its characteristic taste and texture. Avocados are used in many ways from salads to shakes. It is known for the nutritional benefits it provides especially in weight management
Health benefits of avocado:
Avocado is a very nutritious food that is used as a salad ingredient, as a side dish, in shakes and smoothies. It is known for its health benefits and good effects on health. Avocados are rich in flavor and texture; it is incredibly nutritious.
Avocado has a high level of potassium and has a good amount of fats. The fat in avocado is monounsaturated that is beneficial to heart health. Avocado has fiber and it lowers the cholesterol level in the body.
Avocados vs Cultivars:
Avocados come in different varieties and people often don’t know what they are consuming. Most commonly used avocado is hass avocado. These type of avocado have brownish pebbled skin, but if you have a green skinned avocado it is most probably a cultivar
Shelf life of avocado:
Just like other fruits avocado has a short shelf life and rots if left on the kitchen counter. Avocados have a shelf life of minimum three days to maximum a week when stored at room temperature. The shelf life of mature avocado decreases to three to five days in a refrigerator.
Avocado when ripened has a shelf life of three to five days and in case you have added acid to flesh, it starts to turn brown quickly. The shelf life of cut avocado is about two to four days in the refrigerator but it starts to turn brown quickly at room temperature.
How to store avocados?
Avocados are stored just like any other fruit like bananas. Just like bananas it should be stored at dry temperature to help it ripen. Storing it in a pantry or kitchen is best, as it requires a dry and dark place to ripen.
To store cut pieces of avocados or mashed avocados you can use an airtight container. Place the fruit in an airtight container then add a little lime juice in it. The lime juice prevents cellular breakdown. Place this container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Unripe avocados cannot be stored in the freezer or fridge as they require room temperature to ripen. If a fruit is not ripened it won’t be firm and does not reach its peak flavor. To avoid this, it should be stored properly before cutting the fruit.
To ripen avocado, you need to store it properly in a dry place. Place it in a brown bag and close it then wait for it to ripen. Once avocado is ripened place it in a refrigerator or leave at room temperature. To soften the flesh, wait for a little time, but not too long as it starts to turn brown.
How to tell if avocado is ripe?
Avocados are consumed only when it is ripe or mature as it softens after that. To make sure an avocado is properly ripened you need to provide proper storage conditions. The signs that avocado is ripened are:
· It starts to soften a little, you can check it by gently pressing with your palm or fingers
· It should not be too soft but just a little less hard
· In hass avocados the skin starts to turn purple-brown and in other avocados the skin turns green
· Very soft avocados often have brown flesh and brown spots over them
How to tell if Avocados are bad:
Avocados are fruits that are used for its flesh so it is best to discard an avocado that looks spoiled. But even after proper storage you can’t be sure if avocado is spoiled or not. Some signs that avocado might be bad are:
· The color of skin starts to turn dark especially if it is green after ripening. Every avocado other than hass avocado develops green so it is best to monitor color in ripening stage
· If there are brown spots on flesh or if flesh is brown. This type of avocado is still edible but it will not make a good guacamole. It is best not to use over ripened avocado as it starts to turn brown
· If avocado has too soft skin or it looks bruised, it will have brown flesh. It is best to discard this type of avocado as it is over ripened
Other FAQs about Avocado which you may be interested in.
Can you put avocado in the fridge?
Can you eat an unripe avocado? (5 Tips)
Conclusion:
In this brief article, we have answered the question how long does avocado last once cut, its shelf life and how to tell if it is bad.
References:
How Long Do Avocados Last and How to Tell if One Is Bad?
