Why You Shouldn’t Keep Avocados in Water
TikTok recently revealed a scientific truth about avocados: The green flesh of a cut avocado will not turn brown overnight unless it is exposed to air. Unfortunately, according to the FDA, the hack that is supposed to protect your avocado is not safe.
TikTok after TikTok shows how people are surprised to find that a sliced avocado stored in a container of water on the counter is still green after a day or even a couple of days. Another option for the trick is to store whole avocados in water in the refrigerator, where they should keep for several weeks. (We even covered a similar hack earlier this year so we can’t feel too high.)
Why You Shouldn’t Store Avocados in Water
An FDA spokesman told Good Morning America that cracking avocados in water is actually a terrible idea. The skin of an avocado can contain pathogens such as listeria and salmonella , although these are usually only present in small amounts. Rinsing an avocado before cooking and brushing it with a food brush (if you don’t have one, you really should get one) will usually remove enough potential germs that they shouldn’t be a problem.
However, when you store an avocado in the refrigerator for several weeks, these bacteria can multiply. Listeria is known to grow well at refrigerator temperatures, which tend to slow down the growth of other types of bacteria. Listeria can cause mild food poisoning in healthy adults, but is especially dangerous for babies if you contracted listeriosis during pregnancy .
After an avocado has spent several days in the refrigerator, washing it won’t remove enough bacteria to keep it safe. FDA studies have shown that when avocados are stored underwater, bacteria from the skin can get into the edible flesh of the avocado, where they cannot be washed or peeled.
How to keep sliced avocados from browning
Luckily, you can prevent a sliced avocado from turning brown without even submerging it in water. The reason avocados turn brown is because oxygen reacts with chemicals in the pulp, so all you have to do is either keep oxygen out of the cut surface of the avocado or interfere with the chemical reaction causing the browning. . Here are some ways to do it:
Lemon or lime juice will inhibit the chemical reaction as it contains antioxidants such as citric acid and vitamin C. Just brush the cut surface of the avocado with a little tart citrus juice. (Hint: This works for apples too.)
Plastic wrap is another quick and easy way to keep avocados (and even cooked guacamole) from browning. Just press the cling film to the surface of the avocado, making sure there are no air bubbles.
An oil spray can do the same thing as a plastic wrap: Spray the avocado with a thin layer of oil to keep oxygen out.