Vegetables:
1. Tomato
The tomato is the most beloved vegetable in Germany. The average German eats about 57 pounds of them each year. Nevertheless, the tomato is still wrongly used as an ingredient in many drinks, where it loses its flavour. They taste better when they are stored at room temperature and not nearby other fruits and vegetables, for tomatoes release the ripening gas ethylene which makes other fruits spoil faster. The tomato can be preserved up to three weeks when kept separate and in an airy environment.
2. Root vegetables
On average, every German eats almost 20 pounds of carrots and beetroot. Root vegetables start rotting quickly at home when they are kept in their plastic packaging. It is better to take them out of the plastic and to put them in newspapers - without the green parts. The green parts suck the water out of the vegetables and causes it to spoil quicker. In the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator, root vegetables can be stored for eight days.
3. Onion
It is hated by many, but beloved by the Germans. The average consumption of onions is about 18 pounds a year. They are preservable for a long time when they are stored in a cool, dry and dark environment. They will quickly start to spoil when they are kept in a warm and bright place. Rightly stored, the brown onion can stay edible up to a year and the white ones for several weeks. Only red onions and spring onions must be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within one week.
Fruit:
1. Apple
It is the king of fruit in Germany. The average German consumes 49 kilos of them each year. In the cupboard or in the refrigerator, the apple can last several months. However, it is sensitive to pressure and damaged spots rot quickly. Rotten spots are best cut out quickly before eating the apple. In contact with the ripening gas ethylene of the tomato, the apple will cause other fruit and vegetables in its surroundings to spoil faster. It is best to keep apples separately.
2. Banana
Every year, one German eats about 26 pounds of bananas. It is always the season for bananas because they are imported all year round. Few people hang their bananas. However, this is the best way to make sure they do not turn brown. When hung on a hook, they can stay fresh up to two weeks. Hanging or lying, apples should not be near tomatoes or apples, for they react especially sensitive to its ripening gas.
3. Grapes
The average yearly consumption of grapes is about 11 pounds. Many do not know that grapes spoil quickly outside of the refrigerator where they are best stored in a paper bag. You can tell that grapes are particularly fresh when they have a slightly white glow.
Source: worldsoffood