Table of contents:
- Tips for storing the right onions
- 1. Store in cool, dry and dark place
- 2. Keep in a ventilated place
- 3. Do not store with potatoes
- 4. Do not store in the refrigerator
- Store onions according to how they are processed
- Shelled
- Slice or chop
- Cooked
For those of you who regularly cook, maybe you often complain about the onions that you have quickly rot. If that happens, you may not have saved it properly all this time. So, how to store the correct onions so they don't spoil quickly?
Tips for storing the right onions
Onions are part of the allium plant group, along with chives and garlic and shallots. With a spicy taste and pungent smell, there are various properties of onions for body health. Like onions or other types of onions, the spicy taste in onions can cause watery eyes when cutting the onions.
However, onions can go bad quickly if not stored properly. Here are some tips for storing onions properly so they don't spoil quickly.
1. Store in cool, dry and dark place
Fruits or vegetables will last longer if stored in the refrigerator. However, this does not apply to onions. The best place to store onions is in a cool, but dry and dark place, such as a cupboard, basement, or garage.
These places are considered to easily absorb moisture. A damp place can cause the onions to rot quickly.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that onions are better stored at a temperature of 45-50 degrees Fahrenheit or the equivalent of 7-10 degrees Celsius, just above the average refrigerator temperature. At this temperature, the onions will retain their freshness well.
When stored under these conditions, onions can last up to 30 days. If you just store them at room temperature, the onions will still last, but only for one week.
2. Keep in a ventilated place
In addition, it is also important to ensure that there is ventilation in the storage area of the onions, such as open baskets, net bags, or others. Therefore, it is better not to store onions in plastic. The plastic has no gaps for air to enter, so the onions will quickly rot.
3. Do not store with potatoes
You should also make sure that the onions are not stored with the potatoes. This is because the stored potatoes can emit moisture, causing the surrounding area to be more humid. The humidity can accelerate the spoilage of the onions.
4. Do not store in the refrigerator
Based on the above conditions, onions should not be stored in the refrigerator. The refrigerator has a cold temperature and has high humidity. Therefore, storing onions in the refrigerator will actually accelerate their spoilage.
What's more, if you put onions in the refrigerator, they can make the entire refrigerator taste like the smell of onions. Like other types of onions, onions have a strong smell.
Store onions according to how they are processed
However, there are a number of conditions that make onions better in the refrigerator. Here are some provisions for storing onions in the refrigerator based on how to process them.
Peeled onions should be stored in the refrigerator to avoid bacterial contamination. To do this, place the peeled onion in an airtight container and set the refrigerator temperature to 4 degrees Celsius or below. These onions can last up to 10-14 days in the refrigerator.
Just like peeled, you need to store sliced or chopped onions in the refrigerator. To do this, wrap the onion slices or pieces tightly into the plastic.
Sliced or chopped onions can last up to 10 days in the refrigerator. When stored on freezer, onions can last up to 6 months.
Cooked onions should also be stored in the refrigerator. However, in this condition, the onions can only last 3-5 days. However, even cooked onions can be placed on freezer and can last up to 3 months.
How to store onions in the refrigerator or freezer, that is, place it in an airtight container or resealable bag, a few hours after cooking. If left outside for too long, bacteria will appear on the onions.
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