Despite all the beneficial properties of carrots, they have one significant drawback: they quickly lose freshness. Just a few days later, a firm and crunchy root vegetable can become limp and soft. How can you preserve its crunchiness? Scientists conducted research and 3D modeling to find out what needs to be done for the long-term preservation of carrots.
One common place to store carrots is in the refrigerator. However, two opposing factors come into play here. On one hand, the cold environment helps keep food fresh; on the other hand, air convection contributes to drying them out. In their study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, scientists cut carrots lengthwise and collected data on the effects of cooling on their internal structure.
When carrots lose moisture, their cells deform, and the vegetable becomes limp. The study showed that in the refrigerator, carrots lose up to 20% of their water. This results in them appearing less fresh and even shrinking in size—on average by 0.37% per day.
The researchers also identified another factor contributing to the product's “wilt.” Cut carrots bend along the axis they were sliced, which is related to a mechanical property known as residual stress.
Recommendations for Proper Carrot Storage
Modeling also allowed for the determination of the best way to store carrots to maintain their crunchiness. According to the researchers, it is not advisable to place carrots in a vegetable drawer or a regular bag that quickly fogs up, leading to the “suffocation” of the vegetable. The most suitable option for storing carrots would be a cool, moist, and airtight container.
If you do not have an airtight container but have a lot of carrots and want to prevent them from spoiling, we offer 6 recipes for healthy smoothies with yogurt, avocado, berries, carrots, and beets.
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