Often, when fruit has a wax coating or artificially preserved, it is hard to tell if the produce is really fresh or not. It is very unpleasant when you have chosen what looks like a nice juicy apple, only to bite into it and find out that it is rotten or full of bruises. Below are some tips and tricks to help you make sure that the produce you are purchasing is in fact fresh.
1: Buy seasonal fruit
Check that the fruit you wish to buy is in season locally. Fruit that is out of season has to be imported from further away, and is usually more expensive than seasonal fruit. Out of season fruit also carries a higher chance of the fruit being damaged in transit, and will often lack a depth of flavor that seasonal fruit will have.
2: Senses check
When choosing fruit, pick it up, look at it, smell it and touch it. It should smell inviting and have the correct firmness of a ripe piece of fruit. Some fruits have a “ripe” odor that smell inviting, indicating it is good to eat. Often if the fruit has a sour odor it is an indication that it is starting to spoil. It the fruit feels overly soft or has a sour or uninviting smell then it is past its freshness peak. If it is overly hard or has no scent, chances are it is still unripe. If the fruit has a stem, this can be a good guide to the condition of the fruit. A green stem with a very hard fruit means the fruit was picked overly early and may become mealy when ripened. A shriveled and dry stem indicates the fruit was picked long ago and will likely be lacking in flavor and texture. The best indication of a flavorful piece of fruit is when you have a green stem attached to a ripe piece of fruit. This means it was picked at the right time. If you have an opportunity to taste the fruit, then do so. There is no clearer indication of how good the fruit will be than using your taste buds to sample.
3: Check for anomalies
Look for anything that may indicate the fruit is not quite right, such as mold on the surface or the colour not quite as it is supposed to be, such as a green strawberry. Look for bruises and spots that may indicated the fruit has not been handled corrected during packing and transit.
4: Selection process
Select fruit that is in an open bin or storage box food display, not stored in bulk bags or closed boxes. Fresh produce displays make it easy to choose your fruit and prevent possible spoiling spreading from other fruit that is damaged.
If you follow these simple steps when choosing your fruit, then you will reduce your chances of accidently picking up rotting fruit or choosing fruit with very little flavour. Trust your senses and make sure to choose seasonal fruit.
Deangelo Beard
