Do the fresh vegetables you buy and preserve in the refrigerator last a week or they rot after two to three days?
If you have had problems preserving vegetables, do not give up just yet. There is a way out. You can keep them longer and here is how.
Do not refrigerate
Shakira Namutebi who owns a restaurant says tomatoes, coriander, nakatti and French beans start rotting within two to three days of refrigeration.
However, Sarah Nakiwala, a trader in Kawempe market, says her vegetables take over a week without going bad because she keeps them in an open basket, which allows free air circulation.
Experts recommend that tomatoes be stored at room temperature and be placed in open containers. They say keeping tomatoes in cold conditions makes them bitter.
Buy the right fridge
Peter Wasswa, a refrigerator salesperson, says vegetables go bad because people store them in the wrong fridge compartments. He explains that a good refrigerator for storing vegetables is one that has a vegetable compartment and a functional thermostat. He also says there are specific fridges for food storage.
Use the fridge right
Wasswa advises people to read the user manual of the fridge to understand how the different fridge compartments are used.
He adds that the user manual indicates what each compartment should store; either food, drinks vegetables and at what temperature.
Wasswa says usually the recommended temperature for vegetable storage is 4 degrees centigrade or 5 degrees centigrade.
He advises that such appliances should be bought from reputable stores and not second-hand shops.
Buy small quantities
It is always best to buy vegetables for a day
Teach your househelp
Teach your househelp how to use the thermostat and compartment usage.
