As summer temperatures climb, keeping fresh produce from wilting, or worse, rotting, on the journey home from the supermarket becomes a real concern. A leading horticultural expert has revealed a simple yet surprising tip to help your fruit and vegetables survive the heat.
Jeff Brecht, professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, says the journey between the grocery store and home can make or break your produce. “Higher temperatures speed up all the natural processes that fruits and vegetables go through as they ripen or age,” Brecht explained.
That means heat that accumulates in the boot of your car can accelerate spoilage dramatically.
Instead of leaving your perishables to bake in the back, Brecht advises placing them in the front passenger seat, or anywhere in the main cabin of the car where air conditioning can keep them cool.
“Instead of putting produce in the trunk, put your produce up front with you, where there is air conditioning,” he said.
Fruits like berries, peaches, and grapes, along with leafy greens and fresh herbs, are particularly vulnerable to even short periods of high heat.
In a sealed car on a summer day, temperatures in the boot can soar well beyond 40°C within minutes, more than enough to damage sensitive produce and shorten shelf life significantly.
This quick tip could mean the difference between a punnet of fresh strawberries lasting days in the fridge, or turning mushy and inedible within hours.
It’s also worth noting that this small shift in habit aligns with broader recommendations from food scientists who stress the importance of the entire “cold chain” from farm to fridge.
A brief break in that chain, such as a hot car ride, can have outsized effects.
So next time you do the weekly shop and the sun’s blazing, think twice before tossing your groceries in the boot. Your fruit, and your wallet, will thank you.