On 10/28/2014 6:16 PM, Ross@home wrote:
> On Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:02:17 -0500, Sqwertz >
> wrote:
>
>> On Mon, 27 Oct 2014 15:03:55 -0700, koko wrote:
>>
>>> On Mon, 27 Oct 2014 13:51:24 -0400, James Silverton
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> I have been told not to keep cucumbers in the fridge. Well, I tried it
>>>> by keeping a cucumber in the fruit bowl on the counter top. This
>>>> afternoon after a couple of days, I discovered a healthy crop of white
>>>> mold on the unused cucumber. I am going to use the fridge!!!
>>>
>>> I've always followed the general rule, that how you buy it from the
>>> store, is how you keep it at home. Of course, there are always
>>> exceptions to the rule.
>>
>> Stores with quick turnover don't refrigerate much of the produce that
>> can or should be refrigerated when you get them home (if you want them
>> to last for more than a few days).
>>
>> Peppers, squash, cucumbers, ginger are all things I can think of that
>> aren't refrigerated at the store, but can and should be once you get
>> them home.
>>
>> -sw
>
> According to the UC Davis Department of Post Harvest Technology, cukes
> should be stored at room temperature not in the fridge. If you do feel
> the need to put them in the fridge, they can tolerate up to 3 days of
> cold storage if they are used as soon as they are removed from the
> refrigerator.
> Cucumbers are susceptible to cold injury if held more than 3 days at
> temperatures lower than 50F/10C. Signs of cold injury are wateriness,
> pitting on the outside and accelerated decay.
> Another factoid: Cucumbers are sensitive to ethylene gas, which is put
> off by some ripening fruits and vegetables. So for longest storage,
> don’t keep your cukes near apples, melons, tomatoes or bananas.
>
> Ever since reading that article we've kept our cucumbers on the
> counter and they've lasted much longer than if stored in the veggie
> drawer of the fridge.
> Ross.
> Southern Ontario, Canada
>
My experience may not have been a fair test since the cucumbers had been
in the fridge for a day or so before putting them on the counter. This
weekend I may just store the things without ever refrigerating them.

--
Jim Silverton (Potomac, MD)

Extraneous "not." in Reply To.