More than 1.4 million tomatoes are thrown away in the UK every day, with many spoiling prematurely due to incorrect storage. Culinary expert Gem Wade, founder of Cook With Gem, is now urging households to reconsider their habit of refrigerating the fruit.
"If you automatically put tomatoes in the fridge when you get home from the shops please stop," Wade said. "The fridge kills the texture and flavour of tomatoes. Instead, leave them in a bowl on the kitchen counter and use them at room temperature."
Tomatoes originate from hot climates, and refrigeration causes their cellular structure to deteriorate and collapse. This makes the flesh soft, soggy and grainy, often turning to mush. Cold conditions also halt the natural ripening process and compromise the enzymes that generate sugars and acids, leaving tomatoes bland.
To keep tomatoes fresh, Wade advises storing them in a bowl on a kitchen worktop, where temperatures remain above 10°C, ideally around 12°C. Direct sunlight from a windowsill should be avoided as it can damage the skin and cause overripening. Placing tomatoes upside down with the stem facing downwards reduces moisture loss through the stem scar, helping them stay firmer for longer.
Stored correctly on the counter, tomatoes should remain fresh for one to two weeks as they ripen naturally. The fridge should only be used once tomatoes are fully ripe and not being used immediately, but even then they are expected to last only around three days before deteriorating.
