Ripen fruit at room temperature. Once they are ripe, refrigerate. Apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, oranges, pineapples, strawberries, tangerines and watermelon are received ripe and should be refrigerated.
Assuming they are ripe when you buy them (they're one of the few products for which supermarkets don't expect us to do the work), it is best to put oranges in the fridge, and not just because no one wants warm orange juice. Once ripe, they start to lose their vitamin C, a process that is slower when cold.
Fruits That Should Not Be Stored in the Refrigerator
Apricots, Asian pears, avocado, bananas, guava, kiwis, mangoes, melons, nectarines, papayas, passion fruit, pawpaw, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapples, plantain, plums, starfruit, soursop, and quince will continue to ripen if left out on the counter.
"Store oranges loose (not in a plastic bag) in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for maximum freshness." To prevent mold from growing, Ziata suggests keeping your refrigerated oranges in something breathable, such as a mesh bag.
Since oranges start to decompose as soon as they've been picked, storing them in the fridge will slow down the process and keep them fresher, longer. Always make sure your oranges have room in your fridge to breathe; sealing these citrus babies in a container will suffocate the fruit and promote the growth of mold.
Cherries & Grapes – Store in refrigerator, unwashed, in their packaged plastic containers or plastic bags until ready to wash and eat. Citrus fruit – Extend the shelf life of clementines, grapefruit, lemons, limes and oranges by storing them in the crisper drawer or in a mesh bag in the refrigerator.
At room temperature, oranges can last for about a week. In the fridge, meanwhile, they can stay good for about a month. If you don't plan to eat them within about four weeks, consider freezing your oranges — frozen oranges will keep for up to a year.
Answer: You don't have to refrigerate oranges, but they'll last much longer if you do. As the Florida Department of Citrus points out, oranges don't ripen any further once they've been picked and the refrigerator is the best place for maximimizing their shelf life.
Despite the additional drying effect the fridge can have, the cool space is ultimately better for storing oranges. They can live for a few days to one week at room temperature but popping them in the refrigerator extends that to three or four weeks.
Storing: Oranges and other citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and grapefruits can be stored short-term (up to one week) at room temperature. To prolong the shelf life (up to 3-4 weeks) of citrus fruits, keep them in a bag in the refrigerator.
What's the best way to store it so it will last the longest? A: While citrus fruit will keep for a couple of days at room temperature, the best way to store it is in the refrigerator. If you can find the space, the vegetable drawer is the best spot. It should keep there for several weeks.
Many fruits and vegetables should only be stored at room temperatures. Refrigeration can cause cold damage or prevent them from ripening to good flavor and texture. For example, pink tomatoes ripen to a better taste and red color if they are left at room temperature.
When the mercury dips into the 30s in the San Joaquin Valley, the cold actually makes oranges sweeter. The chill brings that deep orange hue to the skin and the fruit, it thickens the peel — as if Mother Nature is putting on an extra coat — and it triggers sugar production in the fruit.
How to store mandarin oranges. Store mandarin oranges in a cool, dark place (like the fridge). At room temperature they'll last about 1 week. Refrigerated in a bag they should last 2 weeks to 1 month.
In a cool, dark place: Unpeeled mandarin oranges stored at room temperature in a cool, dark place last about one week. An unpeeled orange stored in the crisper drawer of a refrigerator lasts for about two weeks to one month.
Apples, and other ethylene-producing fruits, should never be stored with peppers. Doing so can cause them to overripen, discolor and spoil quickly. Always store your peppers away from other ethylene-producing foods such as grapes, avocados and tomatoes.
The ideal storage temperature is 30 to 35 degrees F. with 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. If you don't have a lot of apples, the refrigerator is a good option. Place them in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with holes in it or cover the apples with a damp paper towel.
Peaches, plums: Stone fruits should not be refrigerated if they're unripe as they will not ripen in the fridge. Store them out on the counter and enjoy them as soon as they're ripe. Be sure to follow the “wash as you eat” rule. Oranges, lemons, limes, clementines: Store citrus fruits on the counter.
Storing your eggs in the fridge is the best way to keep bacteria under control. As an added bonus, it also keeps eggs fresher for much longer than storing them at room temperature.
Refrigerate any unconsumed fully ripe tomatoes, but allow them to come to room temperature before serving them. (To speed up this process, slice them while still cold—slices will warm up much more quickly than an intact fruit.) One study we've read suggests that refrigerating for no longer than three days is optimal.
Yes, you can absolutely store bananas in the fridge. Just keep in mind that the cool, dry climate slows the ripening process, which is why bananas aren't refrigerated in the supermarket. In other words, if you put green, unripe bananas in the fridge, they're likely to stay that way.
Citrus Fruits
Lemons, limes, and oranges all do best in the fridge because the cooler temperature prevents them from drying out. They'll keep for up to two weeks when chilled and about one week at room temperature.
Citrus Fruit
The citrus in oranges, clementines, grapefruits, tangerines, lemons and kumquats will cause your stomach to produce excessive amounts of acid that will make it very difficult for you to sleep.