Author: Cyndie Story
Last saved by: michelle.armstrong
Company: Culinary Solution Centers, LLC

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program
Produce Pointers

Segment 2:  Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

Chef Cyndie: After properly receiving fresh produce, you must store it immediately in the correct storage location.  First, let’s talk about refrigerated storage for fresh produce.  Ideal refrigerated storage for fresh produce ranges from as low as 33 degrees Fahrenheit up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  However, schools typically do not have the luxury of storing fresh produce at the different ideal temperatures. Refrigerated storage in most Florida schools is designed to hold produce at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below.  Therefore, low temperature loving fruits, such as grapes, berries, kiwi, apples, and pears should be stored towards the back of the refrigerator, and higher temperature loving fruit, such as melons, grapefruit, oranges, and pineapple should be stored nearest the door.  The same goes for vegetables.  Low temperature loving vegetables, such as broccoli, lettuces, and carrots, store in the back, and  store higher temperature loving vegetables such as beans, cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and squash nearest the door.

Besides keeping produce fresher by using the right storage temperatures, be sure to separate ethylene gas producers from ethylene gas sensitive produce.  A simple way to separate these in a walk in refrigerator is to store fruits on one side and vegetables on the other, because fruits typically are the highest ethylene producers.  Ethylene gas may cause broccoli to turn yellow, carrots to become bitter, and rust spots in lettuces.

Another key point to getting the most out of fresh produce is to make sure you rotate properly by using FIFO, or First In; First Out.  This concept seems simple, but in reality people are in a hurry and they look for the first open space they see to place the produce.  To practice FIFO, place the new produce in back of the produce that is currently on the shelf.  For example, place this new box of tomatoes, behind the box of tomatoes that were received last week.  And don’t forget to date the produce.  That way, you can make sure you are using the oldest produce first.  

Notice our produce is stored as a ready to eat food, meaning that produce is stored above raw meats and poultry and shell eggs because it typically is not cooked and is served raw ready to eat.  Take care to avoid cross-contamination during storage.  This includes leftover fresh fruits and vegetables.  If your produce is stored in a reach in refrigerator, take the same steps to prevent cross contamination by storing ready to eat foods such as produce on top shelves above all raw meats, poultry or shell eggs.

Not everything goes in the refrigerator!  Bananas should be stored at room temperature.  Other produce that may be stored at room temperature are unripe fruits, avocados, mangos, winter squash, potatoes, onions, and sweet potatoes.  But that does not include green onions.  Green onions should be stored in a refrigerator at 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below.  And we didn’t mention frozen storage of fresh produce.  That is because produce to be served fresh is never stored in the freezer.

Managing the ripening process to serve fresh produce at its peak can be difficult.  Take bananas for example.  A ripe banana ready to serve will be bright yellow with tiny brown flecks.  If bananas are received too green for service, you can speed the ripening process by keeping the lid closed, thereby trapping the ethylene gas to increase ripening.  On the other hand, if bananas are received ripe and you want to slow any further ripening, simply remove the lid and plastic cover to release the ethylene gas.  This technique may be used on other fruits too, such as pineapple, peaches, pears, avocados, and kiwi.  To really increase the ripening through the use of ethylene gas, place a few apples in with the unripe fruit.  At times, you may have to adjust your menu.  For example, if bananas are on the menu for Friday, but you know that they are ripe and ready on Wednesday, you should change the menu and serve the bananas on Wednesday, when they are at the peak of quality.  
 
Finally, you may be wondering, what is the expected shelf life for fresh fruits and vegetables?  For estimated shelf life of fruits and vegetables commonly used in Florida schools, download and print the shelf life estimate guide that accompanies this training program.