January 9, 2024, 3:41 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Sometimes you only need half an avocado for a dish. If the remaining half is stored incorrectly, the exotic fruit turns brown in no time. These tips can help prevent that.
If you don’t need a whole avocado for cooking or preparing a dish, it’s best to use the cut half promptly. Waiting too long can result in a rather unappetizing brown fruit. However, you can use the following tricks to keep avocados fresh longer.
Why Does Avocado Turn Brown So Quickly?
Oxygen causes the flesh of an avocado to turn brown relatively quickly after being cut. However, you can counteract this process to slow down oxidation.
1. Store Avocado Airtight to Prevent Browning
The first tip is quite straightforward: To prevent oxidation or delay it as long as possible, always store a cut avocado airtight.
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2. Store Cut Avocado with the Pit
If you only need half of the fruit, store the other half with the pit. The pit contains enzymes that delay browning. This also works when preparing guacamole and storing it in the fridge.
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3. Store Open Avocado with Onion
A similar principle is storing it with red onions. They contain sulfur compounds that prevent the avocado from browning too quickly. Simply store the cut fruit with onions in an airtight container.
4. Add Lemon Juice to Avocado Halves
Lemons and limes have antioxidants that help keep opened avocados fresh longer. A few drops of juice on the fruit or in guacamole are enough to delay browning–and they taste great too.