Avocados are a common cooking ingredient for many households, as they're versatile and packed with healthy fats.
But one downside is how easily they can spoil if they're not stored correctly. Once an avocado is perfectly ripe, there's often a very short timeframe that its taste and texture are ideal for eating.
However, Charles Haverfield, packaging executive at US Packaging and Wrapping, has shared some of his expert tips on how to store avocados and keep them fresher for longer.
He told the Express: "The shelf life of your avocado will all depend on the ripeness of the fruit when purchased.
"Naturally, buying an unripe avocado will last you longer – if your avocado is still bright green, it will need around a week to ripen before you can eat it.
"A fully ripe, uncut avocado can last up to two weeks after buying if stored correctly.
"To slow down the ripening process and prevent your avocado from becoming a mushy brown mess, pop it in the fridge which will help keep it firmer and fresher for longer.”
Charles also gave an insight as to why the fruit tends to go brown so quickly when it's exposed to the outside air.
He said: "Avocados are highly perishable fruits and are particularly vulnerable to browning once they’ve been cut. This is because, like many fruits, avocados have an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase which reacts when oxidisation happens.
"Once the avocado’s flesh comes into contact with oxygen, a reaction happens that changes the pigment to brown and reduces the quality and texture of the fruit.
"Because of this, it's best to leave cutting your avocado for as long as possible prior to eating to ensure you have the best quality avocado."
In order to make sure your avocado is perfectly ripe before eating, Charles says there are a couple of things to check.
The skin must be a dark green and slightly soft to the touch without being too squishy. If it gives in too easily, chances are it's already overripe, but if it's too firm then it's not ready to be eaten yet.
To speed up the ripening process, the expert advised keeping your avocado in a warm, sunny spot, testing it regularly to see how it's coming along.
He added: “You can also try keeping avocados in a fruit bowl with other fruits that release the ripening gas ethylene, such as bananas and apples.”
When it comes to storing avocados, there are a few ways to go about it - and it depends on how ripe they are and when you want to eat them.
Charles said: "If you have a ripe avocado that you’re planning to eat within a day or two, or your avocados are not yet ripe, leave them out on your countertop away from bright light.
“However, if you’re looking to keep your fruit fresh for a longer period, popping them in the fridge will slow down the ripening process.
“Freezing avocado slices is another solution for those that want their avocados to last for several months, but aren’t as concerned about texture.
“One viral hack you shouldn’t follow is keeping avocados in water,” he added. “Submerging avocados in water might seemingly help them to stay fresh but doing so will put them at greater risk of contamination."
To make them last even longer, you can squirt your avocados with lemon juice, which is an excellent preservative.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - sign up to our daily newsletter here.
