NEWS

Cold storage for fruit and veg is a particularly tricky subject as there are many factors, such as age and origin, which can affect how fresh produce should be stored

Cleaning and greening your home can feel overwhelming, but Green Enough: Eat Better, Live Cleaner, Be Happier—All Without Driving Your Family Crazy by eco-wellness expert Leah Segedie breaks it down into an easy-to-follow formula.

Leave refrigerated produce unwashed in its original packaging or wrapped loosely in a plastic bag. (Exceptions, such as mushrooms and herbs, are noted below.) If your greens seem sandy or dirty—think lettuce from the farmers’ market—rinse and dry them well, then wrap them in a paper towel before placing in a plastic bag.

The implications of these changes can be seen in ‘rejected loads’. It is estimated by industry analysts that 32% of refrigerated cargo loaded onto refrigerated vehicles is at the wrong temperature at the time of loading. In most cases, the cargo is warmer than requirements dictate.

We’re not going to sugarcoat it: Storing fruits and veggies can be daunting. Who hasn’t arrived home from the grocery store loaded down with produce—and the best intentions—only to later find themselves removing stinky, putrefied spinach from the crisper drawer? What a (disgusting) waste!

One heard at a recent lecture, the expert recommendation that the country should direct greater resources for raising the field level productivity of crops, to alleviate two core concerns: the food security needs of the nation and to improve incomes for farmers.