{"id":1129,"date":"2026-07-20T14:36:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:36:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/07\/20\/how-to-know-when-fruit-and-veg-are-still-safe-to-eat-and-when-they-should-be-binned\/"},"modified":"2026-07-20T14:36:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:36:49","slug":"how-to-know-when-fruit-and-veg-are-still-safe-to-eat-and-when-they-should-be-binned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/07\/20\/how-to-know-when-fruit-and-veg-are-still-safe-to-eat-and-when-they-should-be-binned\/","title":{"rendered":"How to know when fruit and veg are still safe to eat \u2013 and when they should be binned"},"content":{"rendered":"
Overripe fruit and veg can harbour harmful bacteria.<\/span> Krakenimages.com\/ Shutterstock<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether it\u2019s trimming off a piece of mushy parsnip or cutting away a slightly mouldy bit of apple, many of us have used produce long after their peak of freshness. <\/p>\n

While fruits and veggies<\/a> are important for our health, they\u2019re also highly susceptible to bacteria, fungi and other pathogenic microbes<\/a>. Overripe fruit and veg can harbour E coli<\/em>, Salmonella<\/em> and Listeria<\/em> bacteria<\/a>, all of which can cause food poisoning. Understanding how to properly store fresh produce can maximise their freshness and keep them safe to eat for longer.<\/p>\n

The use-by dates<\/a> printed on packaging are usually a useful indicator of how long fresh produce can safely be stored and eaten<\/a>. But the environment fresh produce is stored in can affect the shelf-life of produce \u2013 so use-by dates may not always be accurate.<\/p>\n

Fruit and veg are living \u2013 so things like humidity, temperature, atmospheric gas, light, how long it\u2019s been in storage and any potential microbial contamination can all affect how long produce can be stored<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The ideal storage conditions will also be different for each fruit and vegetable.<\/p>\n

Fruit<\/h2>\n

Apples<\/strong> have a shelf-life of around one week at room temperature, and three to four weeks in the fridge. These should ideally be stored in the fridge\u2019s veg drawer and washed before eating.<\/p>\n

Apples which are a little bruised are safe to eat but don\u2019t consume if they\u2019re mouldy. <\/p>\n

Bananas<\/strong> can last around two to seven days, depending on how ripe the bunch was when bought.<\/p>\n

Store bananas<\/a> at room temperature until ripe, then refrigerate to extend shelf life. Brown or mushy bananas are safe to eat<\/a> so long as they aren\u2019t mouldy.<\/p>\n

Berries<\/strong> have a shelf life of around 3-7 days if refrigerated. Store them in their original packaging. Only wash before eating<\/a>, as washing may spread fungal spores. <\/p>\n

Again, don\u2019t eat if mouldy. Even if only one berry in the punnet has mould and the rest look fine, they may still contain mould. This is because the toxins produced by moulds and other fungi \u2013 called mycotoxins<\/a> \u2013 are invisible and directly penetrate food and can spread to adjacent foods. <\/p>\n

Mycotoxins, such as the Aspergillus aflatoxin<\/em>, can cause serious damage to the liver<\/a> and have been linked to liver cancer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n \"A
\n Even just one rotten berry can spoil the bunch.<\/span>
\n vfhnb12\/ Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>
\n <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Citrus fruits<\/strong> are usually good for around one week at room temperature, and up to one month in the fridge. Keep the fruits whole and store in the fridge<\/a> in a mesh bag that allows airflow. Cut citrus can be kept in an airtight container for up to five days.<\/p>\n

Grapes<\/strong> can last several days at room temperature, and up to two weeks when refrigerated. Store them in their original ventilated package to enable airflow, and wash only before eating<\/a>. As with berries, if any of the grapes have gone mouldy it\u2019s best to bin the bunch to avoid mycotoxin contamination<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tomatoes<\/strong> should be allowed to ripen first at room temperature, then stored for up to two weeks in the fridge<\/a>. Slightly soft or mushy tomatoes can be eaten so long as there\u2019s no mould present.<\/p>\n

Vegetables<\/h2>\n

Carrots and parsnips<\/strong> can be stored<\/a> for up to two weeks in a cool pantry, and for more than a month in the fridge. Just make sure they\u2019re stored in perforated bags to allow airflow. <\/p>\n

Sprouted carrots or parsnips can still be eaten, but if they\u2019re mushy or mouldy that means bacteria or fungi are already growing so throw them away.<\/p>\n

Cucumbers<\/strong> can be stored in a plastic bag or container for up to a week in the fridge<\/a>. Cut cucumbers should be placed in a clean plastic bag or container and eaten within 1-2 days, as microbes will start growing quickly.<\/p>\n

Lettuce<\/strong> is usually okay to refrigerate for three to seven days if left whole. For mixed lettuce leaves, it\u2019s best to follow the use-by date on the package. Whole lettuce should be stored in breathable packaging in the fridge\u2019s salad drawer<\/a>. Wash only before use. Any lettuce that has become mushy or turned brown shouldn\u2019t be eaten.<\/p>\n

Mushrooms<\/strong> have a shelf life<\/a> of only one day at room temperature, and three to seven in the fridge. Denser mushroom species \u2013 such as shiitake or button \u2013 tend to keep longest<\/a>. Store mushrooms in breathable bags in the middle of the fridge. <\/p>\n

Onions<\/strong> can sometimes last more than six weeks when stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Do not wrap in plastic, as a lack of air flow reduces shelf life<\/a>. You also shouldn\u2019t store them with potatoes or other veg that release moisture, as this will cause fungus to grow. Sprouting onions can still be eaten if no mould is present.<\/p>\n

Potatoes<\/strong> can also last more than six weeks when stored in a cool, dark, dry place. <\/p>\n

Do not eat green or sprouting<\/a> potatoes, as these often contain natural toxins<\/a> which can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Even if you cut off the sprouted or green bits, the toxins may still have spread throughout the entire spud. Importantly, these toxins are not destroyed by cooking.<\/p>\n

Exposure to light greatly increases the formation of these toxins<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Maximising shelf life<\/h2>\n

Storing certain produce together can also affect shelf life<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Certain fruit and veg produce gases during when ripening \u2013 most notably ethylene<\/a>. This gas acts as a ripening hormone, accelerating the process and reducing the shelf life of other produce nearby.<\/p>\n

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\n Read more:
\n Why you should always wash fruit and veg before eating them \u2013 and the best technique to use<\/a>
\n <\/strong>
\n <\/em>\n<\/p>\n

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Bananas are high ethylene producers, while apples are even stronger ethylene releasers. Both can prematurely accelerate ripening of other fruit and veg, which can lead to over-ripeness, spoilage and mould growth. It\u2019s therefore a good idea to avoid storing these fruits near other produce. <\/p>\n

To minimise wastage, also consider buying only as much produce as you\u2019ll eat within a few days.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

Primrose Freestone does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Overripe fruit and veg can harbour harmful bacteria. Krakenimages.com\/ Shutterstock Whether it\u2019s trimming off a piece of mushy parsnip or cutting away a slightly mouldy bit of apple, many of us have used produce long after their peak of freshness. While fruits and veggies are important for our health, they\u2019re also highly susceptible to bacteria, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1129"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1129\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/redzine.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}