Keeping tomatoes fresh until spring is the desire and goal of many summer residents. This is understandable: fruits contain many beneficial minerals, potassium, iron and a whole complex of vitamins. Of course, nowadays you can buy beautiful fresh tomatoes in stores all year round, but they won’t replace our own from the garden, right? Self-grown ones are more juicy, aromatic and very, very tasty.
What varieties can last for a long time, how to store them correctly and, most importantly, where?
It's no secret that optimal conditions storage makes it possible to preserve various vegetables, fruits and berries (which, by the way, include tomatoes) fresh for quite a long time.
It's time to talk about the nuances of long-term storage of tomatoes. It turns out they can stay fresh for quite a long time without much effort. The main thing is to know some secrets.
Preserving tomatoes for a week or two is easy. Simply put them in a paper bag and put them in the refrigerator - on a shelf for storing vegetables. But in order to preserve it safe and sound until the New Year and, especially, until spring, you need not only your desire and suitable storage conditions, but also special varieties.
What varieties of tomatoes are suitable for long-term storage?
Please note important nuance: Regardless of the variety, tomatoes grown in open ground, are stored better than greenhouse ones.
For long-term storage, medium-late and late varieties tomatoes, for example, are:
“De Barao” is a mid-season indeterminate (with unlimited growth) variety; it can reach a height of 2.5 meters, and sometimes more. The oval fruits (depending on the variety) are red, pink, yellow, striped and even black.
“San Marzano” is an indeterminate (with unlimited growth) highly productive variety; the fruits are dense, fleshy, bright red, elongated plum-shaped, reaching a weight of up to 150 grams.
And the fruits of the varieties “Rio Grand”, “Kumato”, “Volgogradsky 5/95” and “Zhanina” are also perfectly preserved. In addition, breeders have simplified the task of long-term storage of tomatoes: new keepable (long-lasting) varieties have been developed. Among them:
"Giraffe" is a tall (indeterminate) variety, reaching a height of 1.2 meters. The round fruits can be stored until March.
"Long Keeper" - determinate variety, the long-lasting fruits of which can weigh 250 and sometimes 400 grams; When fresh, they can last until February-March.
"Masterpiece-1" - late ripening low-growing variety, the bush of which reaches a height of 60 centimeters. Red flat fruits weighing about 80-200 grams can remain fresh almost until spring.
Of course, the fruits of long-storing varieties are easier to preserve. But what to do if this year, when buying seeds, you chose not shelf-stable ones, but tasty, aromatic ones, or, for example, beautiful varieties? It’s my pleasure to plant Ox’s Heart. I know that they are poorly stored, but they are delicious! The answer is simple - try to save what has grown and what is available. Unripe tomatoes will not remain fresh and edible for long, but this period can be maximized if optimal storage conditions are observed. Of course, this requirement also applies to long-lasting varieties.
What conditions are needed for storing tomatoes?
The storage room (place) should be dark and cool. Ideally, this is a refrigerator shelf intended for vegetables, a cellar or basement.
The temperature in the storage should be from +5 to +12°C with a relative humidity of 80%.
The fruits must be carefully placed with the stalk up in wooden or plastic containers (boxes, trays).
In general, it is much easier to preserve unripe fruits, which is why their storage is most often practiced. They can be placed in the refrigerator or indoors. But, regardless of which location you choose, you need to take into account the harvesting conditions and carry out preliminary preparation of the tomatoes.
How to collect and prepare tomatoes for storage
Fruits that are picked from the bushes before the night temperature drops below +8 °C will be stored for a long time. If they have suffered frosts on the bush, they will not last long, even if now you do not see obvious signs of frost damage in them.
The correct time for harvesting is also important: it is better to remove the fruits from the bush in the afternoon, when there is no dew on them.
To maximize shelf life, careful sorting is necessary. Select only whole, undamaged fruits that have reached milky ripeness (tomatoes that are still green and have already grown to the size characteristic of the variety).
Before placing them in a storage container, you need to lightly wipe each specimen with a cotton swab dipped in vodka (without additives) or alcohol. This will destroy all microorganisms on the surface of the tomatoes.
How to store tomatoes in the refrigerator
Tomatoes should be stored in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment, laying them in layers with the cuttings facing up and placing each layer with paper. You can also use this option: wrap each tomato in paper - this way you will preserve the fruits even longer, because they will not come into contact with each other.
But storing tomatoes in a plastic bag is, of course, very convenient and practical, but wrong. Cellophane does not allow air to pass through, so it creates high level humidity. Naturally, under such conditions, tomatoes begin to quickly deteriorate.
How to store tomatoes in a cellar or basement
When storing tomatoes in a cellar or basement, they also need to be laid in layers in wooden or plastic trays (boxes), each layer covered with paper or sprinkled with sawdust. It’s even better if each fruit has a paper wrapper. You need to put the harvest in boxes or trays in three layers, no more - keep this in mind.
And, regardless of where they are stored: in the cellar, basement or in the refrigerator, you should periodically, approximately once every 7 days, “drop in” to check them. Relentlessly cull and remove all damaged fruits.
5-8 days before you intend to enjoy delicious fresh tomatoes, they need to be taken out to a bright, warm room for final ripening (ripening, achieving consumer ripeness).
How to store tomatoes in jars
Method 1
Tomatoes of milky ripeness, without signs of disease or damage to the skin, must be carefully washed, dried and placed in a clean, sterilized jar, without pressing tightly together. Having filled it to the top, you need to pour 3 tablespoons of alcohol inside, close it with a nylon lid and twirl it thoroughly in your hands. Thanks to such simple manipulations, all the tomatoes will be moistened with alcohol. After this, lower the wick inside and light it from the outside. As soon as the alcohol starts to burn, quickly seal the jar with a metal lid.
Method 2
Wash the tomatoes thoroughly and place them outdoors to dry. Meanwhile, sterilize the jars and pour 2 tablespoons of mustard powder into the bottom of each of them. Place the tomatoes in the jar, sprinkling a little mustard on each subsequent layer. After filling the jar, pour another spoonful of mustard powder into it, then roll it up with a metal lid. In total, for a 3-liter jar you should need about 5-6 tablespoons of mustard powder.
Thanks to these preservation methods, tomatoes will remain fresh for about 4-5 months. And remember: no matter what method you use, the jars must be stored in a cool, dark place, ideally a cellar or basement.
P.S. When storing tomatoes for long-term storage, I was tormented for a long time by the question of whether to wash them or not to wash them. Some argue that washing is strictly forbidden. Others, on the contrary, advise keeping the fruits in hot water(+55...+60°C) about 3-5 minutes. So, supposedly, all late blight pathogens will be destroyed. I didn’t wash the tomatoes, but simply wiped each fruit with alcohol.
Weakens due to lack of vitamins, and we begin to remember with nostalgia summer time, when, relaxing outside the city on own dacha, you could pick a few tomatoes from the garden and cook them delicious dish, rich in nutrients and microelements. But don’t despair: even in the bitter cold, you can pamper yourself with a spicy salad of fresh tomatoes. This may be hard to believe, but it is true.
It is only important to know and learn how to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time. Before considering this issue in detail, a few words should be said about what kind of vegetable this is - a tomato.
How tomatoes appeared in our country
“Apples of love” - that’s what tomatoes were called - were brought to Russia by our diplomat from the French capital back in 1780.
For a hundred years the tomato was exclusively flower plant, and only then did they taste the taste of its fruits.
Tomato is a healthy vegetable
It should be emphasized that tomatoes abound useful acids(phosphoric, citric, etc.) and vitamins of groups: “A”, “B”, “C” and “D”. Tomato is also useful because the carotene it contains, when it enters the human body, is converted into vitamin A.
The vegetable contains a huge amount of essential mineral salts. That is why for many, the question of how to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time is of paramount importance.
To ripen tomatoes under artificial conditions with maximum shelf life, vegetables with late early maturity are used. These are varieties such as: “Krasnodarets”, “Gruntovy Gribovsky”, “Kuban”, “Miracle of the Market”.
When setting yourself the task of keeping tomatoes fresh for a long time, you should know that the main thing is to properly organize the harvest of “apples of love” and properly sort them. At the same time, tomatoes must be harvested for planting in weather conditions when there is no rain and there is no moisture on the ground. When harvesting, select only whole fruits for long-term storage, without any damage. It is recommended to do this in a container that is lined inside soft material. The fruits should be removed without separating the stalk.
The next stage is sorting the red “vegetable”. As already emphasized, long-term storage of fresh tomatoes is possible only if the fruits are without mechanical damage; accordingly, rotten and insect-damaged tomatoes should also be excluded.
So, let's move on to a practical consideration of the question of how to keep tomatoes fresh for a long time.
Option No. 1. In a box
Tomatoes should be sorted taking into account their color, quality and shape, and then placed in disinfected Bulgarian-type boxes, on the bottom of which a cardboard bedding must first be laid. Then the rows must be rearranged, and each fruit must be wrapped in paper. At the final stage of the procedure, the tomatoes are sprinkled with a thin layer of peat or dry sawdust.
Remember to ventilate the room every day to eliminate carbon dioxide, which “comes” from tomatoes. Also check the fruits for integrity every five days. In order for the “apples of love” to finally ripen, the boxes are placed in an environment that is well-penetrated and well-ventilated, while the air temperature varies from +20 to +25 degrees.
The maximum storage time for milk and green stage tomatoes is usually three months.
Option No. 2. On paper
Do you want to know how to preserve Unripe tomatoes are collected in late autumn, which are then sorted and wrapped in thin black paper. The fruits are then placed in a disinfected Bulgarian-type lattice box. The tomatoes are then transferred to dry, clean straw and taken to a dark, well-ventilated room where the air temperature is +10 degrees. This storage method will allow you to eat fresh tomatoes on New Year. In order for the tomatoes to finally ripen, as in the first option, they should be placed in a bright, well-ventilated room, the air temperature in which is +20 degrees above zero. In about 5-7 days the fruits will be ripe.
Option number 3. In the bank
Is there another solution to the question of how to preserve tomatoes for the winter? Absolutely yes. We separate whole brown fruits from the stalks, wash them under running water, and sort them by degree of ripeness and size.
Chop the overripe and shapeless “apples of love” into pieces.
Next, you will need a clean container, into which we place one layer of crushed tomatoes 10 cm thick, then sprinkle the tomatoes with salt. After this, add another layer of whole tomatoes and sprinkle it with salt again. So, alternating layers, we must fill the jar or pan to the top. The last layer should consist of chopped and salted vegetables.
Now you know how to store tomatoes to enjoy their aroma and piquant taste in winter.
Many people believe that it is impossible to preserve such a perishable vegetable as a tomato in excellent condition. But it is enough to remember that even in winter you can buy ripe, strong tomatoes to understand that it is possible. The main thing is to choose the right vegetables and find the optimal place to store them.
WHAT TOMATOES CAN BE STORED
Tomato harvesting begins at the end of July and continues until frost. As soon as the temperature drops below zero for the first time, all tomatoes, regardless of ripeness, are removed. Because even slightly frozen tomatoes cannot be stored, since they begin to turn black in places where they come into contact with frosty air. But even if, at first glance, the tomatoes are not damaged, they will quickly begin to deteriorate in storage.
Mid-late and late varieties of tomatoes are best stored: De Barao, San Marzano, Kumato, Zhanina, Giraffe, Masterpiece-1.
HOW TO PREPARE
TOMATOES FOR STORAGE
Tomatoes to be stored should be pre-selected and properly prepared:
Tomatoes are sorted by degree of ripeness and fruit size, because red and green tomatoes stored at different temperatures. And large tomatoes ripen faster during storage than small ones.
. Tomatoes should be strong, without dents or disease damage. After all, even a small speck of late blight on one fruit can destroy the rest of the tomatoes lying in the same box.
. If possible, you should leave the stems, because these tomatoes store much better.
. The tomatoes must be completely dry.
. Before putting tomatoes in boxes, they are sometimes carefully wiped with alcohol or vodka and dried well. With this simple manipulation, microbes on the surface of tomatoes are destroyed, which also extends storage time.
. The tomatoes are dipped one by one for a few seconds in a 0.4 percent aqueous gelatin solution and then dried. A thin gelatin film will prevent the tomatoes from spoiling during storage.
. Tomatoes store well if treated with a 0.3 percent solution boric acid or 0.1% aqueous solution of potassium permanganate.
HOW TO STORE TOMATOES
IN THE CELLAR OR BASEMENT
The cellar for these vegetables should be clean and well ventilated. Important to install optimal humidity indoors - 80-90%. If the storage is damp, the tomatoes become moldy, and due to dry air they gradually begin to wrinkle, dry out and do not ripen. The temperature in the cellar should not exceed 12°C.
How to store red tomatoes
Tomatoes are placed with the petioles up in shallow boxes in 2-3 rows. Each row is laid with chaff or sawdust.
. To prevent the tomatoes from touching each other, they are wrapped in soft paper.
. The boxes are covered with a thin film. But you need to make sure that the tomatoes do not lose access to fresh air.
Store red tomatoes at a temperature of +1…+2°С;. Shelf life - 1-2 months.
How to store brown tomatoes
Tomatoes are placed with the petioles up in clean boxes of 8-12 kg.
. To prevent them from touching each other, they are sprinkled with sawdust or wrapped in thin paper.
. Close with a lid and store at a temperature of +4...+6°C.
How to store milk and green tomatoes
These are the tomatoes that are best stored - up to three months - since even in picked fruits the ripening process continues.
Method 1
Green tomatoes are stored on racks in complete darkness. In November, the fruits are wrapped in soft wrapping paper and placed in boxes lined with sawdust, burlap or chaff. The boxes are placed in a room with a low temperature. Store until January at temperatures from -2 to +2°C.
Method 2
The tomatoes are placed in boxes, sprinkling each layer with chaff or sawdust. If there is no chaff or sawdust, they can be replaced with onion peels. Store at temperatures from -2 to +2°C.
RIPENING GREEN TOMATOES
IN ROOM
To make green tomatoes quickly turn red, they are transferred to warm room, where they ripen in three days. If green tomatoes are kept in the dark these days, the redness will go away more slowly, but the color will be more uniform than those kept in the light. But the latter will keep up faster.
RIPENING GREEN TOMATOES
ON THE BED
When there is no room to ripen tomatoes indoors, they can be left to ripen in the garden.
. To do this, the supports are removed, and the bushes themselves are laid on spread straw.
. The tomatoes are covered with film on top, making a kind of greenhouse.
. Water carefully so as not to wet the fruits.
. The crop is harvested as it ripens.
HOW TO STORE TOMATOES IN AN APARTMENT
When trying to store tomatoes in an apartment, you need to know that when room temperature red tomatoes can last no more than four days, pink ones - five days, brown ones - a week, and green ones - about ten days. And then they will start to deteriorate.
But if the tomatoes are at the stage of milky ripeness, then they can be laid out in a cool pantry or under the bed. Without access to light, they will be stored for quite a long time. True, they will be inferior in taste to tomatoes stored in the cellar.
Therefore, if there is no cellar, and the tomatoes need to be preserved for as long as possible, then they need to be put in the refrigerator or taken out to a glassed-in balcony.
How to store tomatoes in the refrigerator
Tomatoes are stored in the vegetable compartment. Strong tomatoes without signs of spoilage are suitable for storage. They are placed in a box, laid out in one row with their tails up. Then they are laid with soft paper and the second row is laid. For better storage Each fruit can be wrapped in soft paper. Then the tomatoes will not touch each other. And if one fruit begins to deteriorate, this will not affect the quality of other tomatoes. But about plastic bags you will have to forget, since tomatoes in them quickly disappear without access to fresh air.
How to store tomatoes on the balcony
If the balcony is glazed and the temperature on it is kept within +5...+12°C, then the tomatoes are placed in boxes covered with burlap or paper. Each layer of tomatoes is separated from each other using the same spacer material. The boxes are placed in stacks and covered with fabric that does not allow light to pass through, but does not impede the flow of fresh air.
If there were a ranking of the popularity of vegetables, tomatoes would undoubtedly take first place. Moreover, with a large gap from their rivals. Red-sided and juicy, they are good either in a salad or as a snack. It’s just that we don’t get to enjoy fresh tomatoes for long in our latitudes: as soon as autumn makes a serious statement about itself, they disappear from both market counters and store shelves. And I would like to keep fresh tomatoes longer! After all, canning is not at all the same as elastic, appetizing freshly picked fruits...
We can’t help with freshly picked ones, but we can help with storage. Because we know how to preserve fresh tomatoes longer. And we will be happy to share this information with you.
HOW LONG CAN TOMATOES BE STORED?
First, let's decide what we can count on. Is it possible to save fresh tomatoes until the New Year? Or will they only last a couple of weeks of storage? The answer depends not only on your actions and, moreover, your desire. The shelf life of tomatoes is determined by several parameters that will have to be taken into account if you want to preserve fresh tomatoes for as long as possible:
1. Greenhouse tomatoes are stored worse than those grown in open ground. Perhaps soil-grown tomatoes are simply better suited to the challenge environment and “hardened” by the struggle for survival. But the fact remains: for tomatoes to last longer, they must be from the garden.
2. There are specially bred varieties of tomatoes for long-term storage. The most famous of them are Masterpiece, Longkeeper and Giraffe. Sounding names, isn't it? But the main thing is that they can withstand longer storage and/or transportation than representatives of other varieties. This information will be more useful to gardeners who can grow the vegetables they need on their own. But if you manage to buy fresh tomatoes of just these varieties, don’t miss out.
3. Tomatoes have a feature that not all vegetables have: they can be picked unripe, so that they later ripen during storage. This approach greatly extends the life of fresh tomatoes. Firstly, green tomatoes remain unharmed longer. Secondly, the beginning of their storage in ripe form is delayed.
Ripe tomatoes can be bought about three days in advance, after which uneaten vegetables will begin to wither and spoil. If you immediately put the tomatoes in the refrigerator, you can count on their preservation for a week. Tomatoes with thick skins can stay in the special “vegetable” compartment of the refrigerator for 10 days, but this is already risky. But it is generally not recommended to cool fresh tomatoes more than 2-3°C: tomatoes do not tolerate freezing well, and after thawing they spoil very quickly.
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES UNTIL THE NEW YEAR?
If you have never stored fresh vegetables for a long time before, it is unlikely that you have had time to stock up on green tomatoes or choose a specific variety. So you will have to deal with what you have - that is, arrange the storage of already ripened tomatoes. In this case traditional methods, multiplied by discoveries modern science, offer the following methods for storing tomatoes:
1. Storage in dry mustard.
Tomatoes are stored for a long time in glass jars and remain fresh, without a drop of brine or a hint of canning.
To repeat this trick, take several three-liter jars and fresh tomatoes - whole, not overripe, without dents or other damage.
Wash the tomatoes running water, wipe dry and lay out in the open air to dry.
Sterilize the jars and dry them properly too.
Using a dry, clean tablespoon, scoop a generous amount of mustard powder and sprinkle into the bottom of each jar.
Place the tomatoes in jars on top of the mustard. First, a few pieces - the first “layer”. Try not to press them together. Of course, the sides of the vegetables will touch, but this should happen without pressure.
Second important point: place the tomatoes up with the side where the tail was.
Sprinkle the first and each subsequent portion of tomatoes with mustard, sparingly.
At the end, when the jars are full, pour another full spoonful of mustard powder on top and close the lid (sterile and dry, of course).
Roll up the jars with a machine or seal them hermetically in another way.
After this, it is advisable to put the cans on their sides and roll them a little and/or carefully turn them upside down. But don't shake the jars - just distribute the mustard powder evenly over all the tomatoes.
Place the jars in a cool place without access to light (in a pantry, cellar, etc.) and be sure that even in January the tomatoes will remain fresh and tasty.
I wonder how the described method “works”? Everything is quite simple. Tomatoes sealed in jars release moisture very slowly. This amount of water is tiny, but it is enough to interact with essential oils mustard. They, in turn, prevent putrefactive processes in vegetables from developing by suppressing bacteria. To ensure that the method does not fail, choose medium-sized tomatoes for such storage and use at least 4 tablespoons of dry mustard for each jar.
2. Vacuum storage.
Fresh tomatoes in jars can be preserved using another method.
To do this, you will need exactly the same three-liter jars (sterile and dry, of course) as in the first case, but instead of mustard powder, alcohol.
Fresh whole tomatoes small size wash and dry completely. Place in jars, trying not to press tightly, just on top of each other.
Pour 2 full tablespoons of alcohol into each jar filled with tomatoes.
Close the jars with clean lids, but do not roll them up.
Place the jars horizontally and roll them so that the tomatoes are thoroughly moistened with alcohol.
Further actions should be very quick and coordinated, so immediately prepare everything you need.
Place a long wick, matches (lighter), lids and a can-roller nearby.
Remove the temporary lids from the jars.
Place the end of the wick into the jar and light it on the other side.
As soon as the alcohol ignites, immediately close the jar with a lid and roll it tightly.
Do this for all jars.
If you manage to do everything correctly, you will get absolutely whole tomatoes: they will not have time to burn, and the alcohol will instantly burn inside the jar along with oxygen.
The tomatoes end up in a vacuum, which will preserve them for a long time.
HOW TO PROPERLY STORE FRESH GREEN TOMATOES?
Truly long-term storage is only possible if the tomatoes are not fully ripe. Fresh tomatoes of the so-called milky ripeness can be stored not only until late autumn and/or winter holidays, but also until the end of winter. But for this you cannot do without strict adherence to all the rules for the preparation and storage of tomatoes:
1. Buy or collect green and slightly milky tomatoes from your own garden. It is important to do this before the first frost, so that even the tomatoes do not get damaged from the inside. Remove the tails immediately.
2. Once again, carefully review and sort out the tomatoes intended for storage. Leave only ideal specimens: with intact, undamaged skin and without a hint of damage. Not only the safety of each tomato, but also the reliability of the entire stock depends on this.
3. Heat the water to 60°C and put the tomatoes in it for 3 minutes. Do not take the water hotter, so as not to scald the vegetables. But washing in cooler water will not protect tomatoes from bacteria.
4. Wipe each tomato dry and place them in a ventilated area to dry completely. It is better to choose a dry place in the shade for this.
5. While the tomatoes are drying, prepare several boxes for their storage: plastic or wooden. The main thing is clean, dry and not very deep. At the bottom of each, place a sheet of newspaper or other paper moistened with alcohol or vodka without additives.
6. Soak pieces of cotton wool in the same alcohol or vodka and wipe each tomato with it on all sides.
7. After this stage, two options are possible. In the first case, if you plan to eat the tomatoes within a month or a month and a half, then simply lay them out in an even layer on an alcohol-soaked newspaper, cover with the same sheet, and on it place another layer of tomatoes, also covered with paper.
8. Otherwise, to store tomatoes longer, wrap each one with a piece of newspaper or a napkin soaked in alcohol. Place dry sawdust between the bundles.
9. Place the boxes in a dark room with an air temperature of 7 to 14°C and a humidity of no more than 80%. In principle, paper and sawdust will absorb a small amount of water, but it is better not to test their absorbent abilities for strength.
10. Regularly, at least once a week, inspect your tomatoes and mercilessly remove from storage those that show hints of spoilage.
HOW TO PRESERVE FRESH TOMATOES FOR LONGER?
Step-by-step instructions are very convenient, but additional information never hurts. For example, it is useful to know that the substance contained in tomatoes folic acid accelerates their maturation. Therefore, green tomatoes intended for storage should not be kept near ripe red vegetables. But when the time comes to use the preparation, remove the required amount of stored green tomatoes and place it next to a ripe tomato or other fruit (banana, apple). In addition to all that has been said, keep in mind that preserving fresh tomatoes means not only preserving their beauty and “marketable” appearance. It is important not to lose the benefits of fresh tomatoes and the vitamins they contain. Decorate New Year's table You can also use pickled vegetables, but the health benefits of fresh tomatoes cannot be replaced by any canned food. Therefore, good luck with your preparations and bon appetit all year round!
The tomato or, as it is also called, the “golden apple” is one of those fruits that is associated with summer, sun and lungs healthy dishes. A tomato acquires its extraordinary taste as a result of a combination of sugars and acids with volatile substances. And the latter, as is known, are extremely susceptible to low temperatures. This is why a fragrant tomato loses its flavor in the refrigerator taste properties and smell fresh vegetable. How best to store tomatoes so that they do not turn into insipid, tasteless fruits, and how the degree of their ripeness affects storage conditions - many housewives want to know about this. Therefore, this article is devoted to how much, where and how to properly store fresh, sun-dried, dried and canned tomatoes.
How and where to properly store fresh tomatoes
French scientists have been studying for a long time at what temperature to store tomatoes so that their structure is not destroyed and they are not lost. beneficial features. So, at a temperature of 20°C, the same volatile substances that were already discussed not only did not collapse, but also began to be produced even more intensely. That is, the tomato became even more fragrant. And when it was placed in conditions where the temperature did not rise above 4 degrees Celsius, the volatile compounds immediately stopped being released, and those already present in the tomato immediately began to break down.
About storage temperature
Milk tomatoes should be stored at 8 - 10 degrees, red ones - from 4 to 6 degrees, but brown tomatoes tolerate the cold best of all - they are best stored at 0 - 2 degrees above zero.
As a rule, it is not recommended to store tomatoes for a long time, and few people do this. The most suitable for storage are fleshy, small-chambered and thick-walled fruits. Storage conditions depend mainly on the degree of ripeness, that is, the ripening temperature will be determined based on whether the tomato is green, milky, red or brown. For example, green tomatoes certainly will not ripen at low temperatures.
So, how to store tomatoes in an apartment before processing? As a rule, green tomatoes can last from 21 to 70 days, but ripe ones can last from 7 to 10 days (of course, if you know how and where to store tomatoes).
Tomatoes should be stored in one layer; it is better to place them with the top to the bottom of the container. By the way, few people know that red tomatoes emit ethylene, which can speed up the ripening of other fruits.
How to store green tomatoes
In order for green or blanc tomatoes to ripen faster, you should leave them in a room where the temperature ranges from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius; if it exceeds the upper limit, the fruits will stop producing lycopene (the main coloring component). In order for the tomatoes to remain green for as long as possible, the room temperature should be about 13 degrees.
How to store sun-dried tomatoes
Sun-dried tomatoes are very interesting way how to store tomatoes in winter. Ready-made sun-dried tomatoes can be placed in thick cotton bags, like dried fruits. You can also use an airtight food container to store them, after filling them with olive oil. This container should be stored in the refrigerator. You can store sun-dried tomatoes in freezer, but it is necessary to take into account that when defrosted they will lose color.
How to store dried tomatoes
Dried tomatoes can be stored in the same way as sun-dried tomatoes, that is, in a cotton bag. You can put them in glass jars, which must first be sterilized and dried. It is advisable to add spices, garlic, herbs, salt and only then dried tomatoes. Then you need to add refined oil to the jar so that it completely covers the tomatoes, and cover the neck of the container with cling film and a clean plastic lid.
Another way to store dried tomatoes is to put them in jars, cover them with wax paper or ground stoppers, you can also fill them with varnish, resin or wax.
Dried tomatoes are also packed in boxes made of wood, plywood, cardboard, thick fabric bags, carton boxes, sieve, baskets, etc. They will be stored well if the bottom of the container is lined with thick paper and placed in a cool, ventilated room where the temperature is in the range from 1 to 10 degrees Celsius. It is also possible to store dried tomatoes in the refrigerator.
How to store canned tomatoes
Many people believe that canned tomatoes have no shelf life. However, it is still advisable not to store them for more than 12 months. The fact is that even with the jar in a vertical position, the acid can react with the metal lid, and harmful compounds will penetrate there. Pickled tomatoes should not be stored in a barrel for more than 8 months, so that harmful bacteria do not penetrate into them.
Canned tomatoes can be stored at room temperature, such as in the pantry or under the bed, but pickled tomatoes need lower temperatures. These tomatoes should be stored correctly in the cellar or refrigerator.
How to properly store tomatoes in the refrigerator
If it so happens that this fruit needs to be cooled, then you need to know how to store tomatoes in the refrigerator. It is better to place them in a special compartment for vegetables - the so-called freshness zone, where optimal conditions are maintained for the longest possible storage of vegetables. Fresh tomatoes should lie in the box in one, maximum two rows so that the bottom row does not choke. If tomatoes are placed on the refrigerator shelf, it is better to place them in a plastic bag.
By the way, practice has shown that a tomato that had been in the refrigerator for almost a week resumed the release of aromatic substances when placed in favorable conditions. Currently, scientists are trying to develop new varieties of tomatoes that would be resistant to low temperatures, but until this breakthrough in agronomy has taken place, it is necessary to take into account all the features of storing this fruit.
