Good Lifestyle

Whether you're putting it on toast, slicing it for a salad, or mashing it up to make a fresh batch of guacamole, there's no denying that avocados are a kitchen staple. But for as popular as the fruit may be, it's also notoriously one of the most fickle pieces of produce when it comes to timing their ripeness just right so they don't go to waste. And while some may go to great lengths to ensure they don't turn mushy too quickly, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) is now warning that doing one thing while storing avocados could be a potential health risk. Read on to see which recent viral hack the agency advises against for safety reasons.

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Even before you're racing against time to work a ripening avocado into your meal plan, anyone who considers themselves a fan of the fruit is no stranger to the careful selection process at the grocery store involved in buying them. But while the idea of a mushy green avocado may seem gross to even look at, eating a spoiled avocado could potentially get you sick. According to Healthline, rancidity in the fruit can "result in the formation of potentially toxic compounds," which may give off "a chemical odor and taste."

If you're looking to tell just how fresh an avocado is, start by looking at the brightness of its skin: Less ripe fruit will be lighter green, while darker fruits will be closer to ripeness. Giving an avocado a gentle squeeze is famously a major indicator of freshness. Any avocados that feel too firm still have some time before they're ready to be eaten, but any that feel mushy or hollow have gone past their prime and should be thrown out.

Once you've decided to cut open your avocado, you can visually inspect the fruit for signs of spoilage. If you notice mold anywhere in or on the fruit, large brown and black spots throughout the flesh, a stringy texture, or dark streaks in the fruit, it's a sign that the avocado is likely rancid and too dangerous to eat. "Don't try to salvage any part of a rancid, sour-smelling, or moldy avocado, as it has the potential to make you sick," Healthline says.

But while no one likes ending up with an inedible, mushy piece of fruit, doing certain things to keep your avocados from spoiling could present a different health risk. In a viral Facebook post from February shared over 206,000 times, one user showed how storing avocados submerged in water in the fridge could keep them perfectly fresh for two weeks, NBC's Today reports. But while testing appears to yield brilliantly green, edible fruit, officials urged against using the kitchen hack.

"The FDA does not recommend this practice. The main concern is with the possibility that any residual human pathogens (i.e., Listeria monocytogenes,Salmonella spp., etc.) that may be residing on the avocado surface, may potentially multiply during the storage when submerged in water," an agency spokesperson told Today.

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When it comes time to eat them, avocados often get treated the same way as a banana or orange and are rarely washed as part of the preparation process. But according to research published by the FDA in 2018, avocados can actually be teeming with dangerous microorganisms. After testing 1,615 avocado samples between 2014 and 2016, results found that 0.74 percent of its samples tested positive forSalmonella, while 0.24 percent of the avocado flesh samples and 17.73 percent of the avocado skin samples tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. Both bacteria can cause serious and potentially fatal illnesses when consumed.

Because of this, the federal government recommends rethinking how you prepare avocados, advising: "Even if you plan to cut the rind or peel off the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first so dirt and bacteria aren't transferred from the knife onto the fruit."

But while it may seem the bacterial issues are only surface deep, the agency says other studies have shown using the water storage hack can still pose a health risk. "In addition, research performed by FDA scientists has shown thatListeria monocytogenes ay may potensyal na mag -infiltrate at internalize sa pulp ng mga avocados kapag nalubog sa mga palamig na tangke ng dump sa loob ng 15 araw sa panahon ng palamig na imbakan, "sinabi ng isang tagapagsalitaNgayon. "Sa kasong ito, kahit na ang pagdidisimpekta sa ibabaw ng balat ng abukado bago ang paghiwa ay hindi maalis ang kontaminasyon."

Kung nag -aalangan ka pa rin kung paano panatilihin ang iyongAng mga abukado mula sa mabilis na pag -on, mayroon pa ring ilang mga simple at ligtas na mga paraan upang matiyak na magtatagal sila nang sapat para masiyahan ka sa kanila. Dapat kang mag -imbak ng anumang mga underripe avocados sa iyong countertop bago itapon ang mga ito sa ref tulad ng malapit na silang hinog o maging hinog, ayon saKumain ng mabuti. Sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay nito sa isang selyadong lalagyan ng airtight na maaaring magkasya sa iyong drawer ng ani, makikita mo ang habang buhay ng prutas hangga't dalawang linggo.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

Kung mayroon kang kalahati ng isang abukado na lumiligid tungkol sa iyong refrigerator, maaari mo pa ring tiyakin na mananatili itong mabuti para sa ibang pagkakataon. Ayon kayNgayon. Ang trick na ito ay maaaring bumili sa iyo ng dagdag na araw o dalawa ng pagiging bago mula sa iyong abukado.

Basahin ito sa susunod:Huwag kailanman itabi ang iyong mga patatas malapit sa isang bagay na ito, sabi ng mga eksperto.