There are some vegetables and fruits that spoil very quickly. They can spoil when they are being transported, in the store and even when they have already been purchased, taken home, cut open or prepared. This can give you food poisoning if you don’t immediately discard them or refrigerate them right away.
Vegetables and fruits that spoil quickly
Vegetables are more perishable than fruits. They should be stored at room temperature, in a dry area with good air circulation. Refrigeration is not required for most vegetables, although storage in the refrigerator will prolong their shelf life.
Most vegetables can be stored for about a week in the vegetable crisper of your refrigerator. Some exceptions to this rule are root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots, which can be stored up to two weeks.
Here is a list of common vegetables and how long they last:
Asparagus – 3-5 days
Beets – 1-2 weeks
Broccoli – 5-7 days
Brussels sprouts – 5-7 days
Cabbage – 1-2 weeks (Store in plastic bag inside another plastic bag)
Carrots – 2-3 weeks (Store in plastic bag inside another plastic bag)
Cauliflower – 5-7 days (Store in plastic bag inside another plastic bag)
Corn on the cob (cut off cob) – 2 days after cutting off cob (Store corn in an open container or plastic bag)
Vegetables and fruits that spoil quickly include:
Asparagus
Beets
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Green beans
Garlic
Ginger
Onions (fresh)
Potatoes (fresh)
Radishes (raw)
Spinach (raw)
Fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly
• Apples
• Bananas
• Citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, limes)
• Melons (watermelons, rock melons)
• Pineapples
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
It’s important to know which fruits and vegetables are best stored at room temperature and which ones need to be refrigerated. Here’s a list of some fruits and vegetables that will keep for days, weeks or even months:
Apples: Apples will last up to three months if stored in the refrigerator.
Grapes: Grapes can last up to two weeks when stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Lettuce: Lettuce will last up to a week when stored in plastic wrap or a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Mangoes: Mangoes can last up to a week when stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Pears: Pears can last up to two weeks when stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
Potatoes: Potatoes should be stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight for about one week before they begin sprouting eyes and getting soft spots on them. If you want your potatoes to last longer than one week, store them in a paper bag away from heat sources like stoves or radiators.
Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Berries, except strawberries
Cabbage, except Napa cabbage, which lasts 1 week in the refrigerator
Carrots
Celery, except celery hearts, which last 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator
Corn (on the cob)
Cucumbers
Grapes (in a bag)
Green beans
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Onions (keep them in a cool pantry)
Fruits and vegetables are often grouped together because they are produced by plants. However, the two categories have very different characteristics. Fruits are the ripened ovaries of plants. They contain seeds or spores, and they may be sweet or sour. Vegetables, which are also derived from plants (specifically their roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits or seeds), don’t necessarily have seeds or spores but are grown for their edible parts such as roots and tubers.
Many fruits spoil quickly while vegetables can keep for weeks in your refrigerator.
The following is a list of fruits and vegetables that spoil quickly:
Fruits:
Apples
Oranges
Bananas
Grapes
Strawberries
Lemons and limes (although they can last up to two weeks)
Cherries
Tomatoes (some varieties)
Vegetables that spoil quickly:
Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn on the cob, Garlic (cloves), Green beans, Lettuce (leafy greens), Mushrooms (fresh), Onions (fresh), Potatoes (white or sweet), Radishes (fresh), Spinach (leaves), Zucchini squash.
Fruits that spoil quickly:
Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cantaloupe/rock melon/honeydew melon/crenshaw melon/mango/papaya/pineapple/peaches/nectarine/plums/strawberry/watermelon.
Vegetables and fruits that spoil quickly
The following is a list of vegetables and fruits that spoil quickly.
• Apples: They bruise easily, so store them in the refrigerator. Apples will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge; however, they are best when eaten within one week of purchase.
• Bananas: Don’t refrigerate bananas before they ripen because it will slow down their ripening process. Once they have reached their peak ripeness, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or store them in a brown paper bag at room temperature until ready to eat (or freeze). Once they’re ripe, they should be stored in the refrigerator because they continue to ripen there. Bananas can be stored at room temperature for up to five days after ripening, but not longer than that because they become more fragile after that point and are likely to split open if exposed to heat during transport.
• Applesauce: Fresh applesauce spoils quickly due to its high water content; however, you can extend its shelf life by freezing it or dehydrating it into applesaucer crackers (see below).
Vegetable and fruit spoilage is caused by a wide variety of microorganisms that can grow to large numbers on the surface of food, or within the food itself. Some of these organisms are pathogens that can cause serious illness in humans. However, most spoilage organisms are harmless and are simply responsible for making food unfit to eat.
Some vegetables and fruits that spoil quickly:
Apples: Apples will stay fresh for up to two weeks if stored at room temperature, but they should be refrigerated if you plan on keeping them more than a week.
Avocados: When ripe avocados go bad, they have brown spots on their skin, and their flesh has turned black with greenish tinges. If you plan on using an avocado immediately after buying it, leave it at room temperature until fully ripened. Once ripened, store your avocado in the fridge where it will keep for about a week longer before spoiling.
Bananas: Bananas should be kept at room temperature until fully ripened (about three days after picking). Once ripe, move them to the fridge where they will keep for up to 10 days longer before spoiling completely
The following fruits and vegetables have a short shelf life, so they should be used as soon as possible.
Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Blueberries
Broccoli (stems)
Cabbage (green leafy)
Carrots (tops)
Celery
Figs (fresh)
Garlic (cloves)
Ginger root
Grapes (skin)