Carrots will stay fresh and not go mouldy for 4 weeks longer with water storage method
There is a very effective food storage method that takes five minutes but will extend the shelf life of carrots for a month longer to avoid your orange veggies becoming mould or limp.
Carrots are at the top of most people’s shopping lists as they are used in lots of different dinner recipes, but they can easily become spoiled if not stored correctly.
The reason carrots become limp, stale or mouldy is that they have a high moisture content can lead to bacterial growth when exposed to air.
However, Amy Cross, a cook and founder of The Cross Legacy has shared that the best way to store carrots is to wash them thoroughly before placing them in the fridge.
You will need to make a simple solution of cool water and white kitchen vinegar, which may seem strange but vinegar has antibacterial properties which will naturally remove bacteria growth to eliminate spoilage.
She said: “Washing with vinegar will kill off mould spores, bacteria, and other harmful pathogens like E. coli and listeria.”
Washing carrots will help keep them fresh for four weeks longer than they normally would last. All you need to do is fill a bowl with three parts water and one part white vinegar and add the carrots. You can cut the carrots in half if you are having difficulty fitting them into the bowl.
Set a timer for exactly two minutes before submerging the carrots as any longer risks the vegetable having a vinegary taste.
Amy said: “Make sure you set a timer for two minutes, that is all the time they need to soak. Once the two minutes are up, remove your carrots and rinse them off. Take notice of how dirty the water is!”
After the carrots have been washed make sure to rinse them with water to get rid of the vinegar and then leave them to air dry on a clean towel.
Make sure the carrots are completely dry before placing them in the fridge as water will encourage water and mould growth.
When the the carrots are dried, place them in the crisper drawer of the fridge as it has been designed to have the perfect humidity and temperature to keep vegetables fresher for longer.
However, if you wish for your carrots to last even longer then store them in an airtight glass container with a lid which will help protect them from bacteria.
Make sure not to store carrots in the original plastic bag they come in from the supermarket as plastic degrades over time and will harbour bacteria which will lead to the carrots becoming spoiled.
Washing carrots in a white vinegar solution and then placing them in a glass container in the crisper drawer will extend their shelf life and help save you some money while cutting down on your food waste.
Amy said: “When you follow these steps, your raw carrots will be fresh and crunchy for up to a whole month!"
