Avocados are a breakfast favourite for many, but what would ideally be vibrant, creamy slices will turn brown before you’ve had a chance to eat them. If you’ve ever thrown an avocado into the fridge only to find it wilting or oxidised hours later, you’ll be relieved to find out there is a way to keep it from turning brown. And even better, the storage solution is all-natural and involves a common and affordable fruit.
Regina Mitchell, executive chef and founder of Your Friend in the Kitchen, shared her easy trick to keep avocados fresh for longer. “Lemon or any citrus juice slows oxidation, so putting lemon juice on the avocado can be helpful,” she explained. “It just may change the taste a little bit.”
The lemon juice works wonders by slowing down the process of oxidation, which is the primary reason for those unsightly brown spots. It’s not just about the citrusy flavour – it’s all about science.
Lemon juice contains citric acid, a natural preservative that lowers the pH of the enzymes in the avocado, preventing them from reacting with oxygen and causing the fruit to spoil.
Regina explained: “Storing your halved avocado face down on a plate will also help stop any oxidation.”
This method creates a powerful barrier to keep the air away from the delicate green flesh and costs as little as 30p if you buy your lemons from some retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
To store your avocado properly, just drizzle the inside of the slice with a generous amount of lemon juice, or lime juice if that’s what you have on hand.
After that, wrap the avocado tightly in cling film to further block air and moisture.
“This will help keep your avocado slices bright green, creamy, and fresh for a few days longer,” the expert assured.
Viral hacks on social media claim that storing avocados in water will preserve them. However, Regina warned against using this method.
She said: “Avocados are soft and porous, so letting them sit in water weakens the fruit and causes bacteria to multiply in the moisture.”
This could lead to a potentially unsafe avocado, so while water storage may look neat on a TikTok video, it’s best to stick with proven methods like lemon juice.
For an alternative, olive oil also works as a natural preservative, forming a protective layer over the avocado, which the fruit fresh without the use of chemicals.
