Onions are one of the resourceful vegetables, which you perhaps add as a component in many foods. In fact, onions can not only enhance the taste but also help to fight against some diseases, like cancer.
However, in onion family, we may include, yellow, white and red onions, scallions, leeks and garlic. Some people are likely to buy few onions for their cooking purposes, while others look for a huge amount of onions in the market. From any store, you perhaps find onions in different forms, such as, minced, dried or chopped. Regardless of what form of onions you have bought, the question is- Will the onions stay fresh for several days?
Shelf life, expected from purchased onions
Just as any other veggies, a packet of onions does not include best before or sell-by date. Thus, it is important to look for the particular purchase date. Due to the presence of tang, versatility and comparatively extensive shelf life, onions (though horrible to slice them) instantly add something, which gives out good scent to a kitchen. While stored properly, the onions’ shelf life may be extended.
However, all foodstuffs obviously last for much shorter time period when they aren’t stored well.
How to trace bad onions in your kitchen?
As food safety and proper hygiene can prevent you from various diseases, it is significant to know when vegetables have become rotten.
In case of onions, though there is no right test to determine the rotten ones, you have to make use of your eyes to avoid spoiled onions. There are a few common features, which may inform you that your onions are not fresh. Black, brown and soft spots are seen on the bad onions. Those soft spots may grow mold very fast, and thus, you need to cut them out at once. The adjacent area should also be eliminated and you have to try to consume onion very soon.
Thus, make out the rotten onions in this way and keep away from health risks.
Onion is such a veggie that is created with separated cells, and it denotes that when few cells become bad, the vegetable may not be affected entirely. By eliminating the bad cells, it is possible for you to have good portion of onion. It is quite different from other foods, like dairy and meat, in which bacteria may get into overall area and not merely a part.
Making out the good portion of any onion seems to be critical. A perfect onion possesses firm skin along with original color, like yellow, white or red. The external later is coated with a dry, thin skin, which tears and flakes very easily. The onions have wet part if they are not cut. The juice, released from any fresh piece may be very clear with strong smell strong though not distasteful. If you have found out safe portion of onions, you have to cut it to avoid the mushy part and contaminated substances. There must be no issue of cleanness in onions that you store.
Storage for dry onions
Dry onions that have good peels may be preserved in several ways. Tress the elongated, dried top portions of onions together; then hang it in some cool site. Keep these veggies in any plastic mesh carriers and suspend on any peg or hooks in dry and cool site. Onions must be maintained under temperatures that range from fifty to degree degrees Fahrenheit. If there is right storage, then your onions are likely to remain fresh for a number of months.
At the same time, you have to inspect those onions on each month in order to eliminate all the possible rotten onions that have soft stains, tarnishes and molds. Do not store your onions in plastic box that is sealed. Onions require smooth circulation of air in order to prevent rancidity. Again, in accordance to some experts, summer or spring onions may be kept inside fridge.
Considerations before refrigerating the onions
Onions may cause irritation to your eyes while peeled and cut, as there is sulfur substance- propanethial-S-oxide. While such compound remains in contact with water and oxygen, it changes to sulfuric acid that troubles eyes. Thus, refrigerate onions prior to chopping them to lessen the discharge of eye irritating substance. Onions may be frozen well after sometime. You have to rinse onions and peel them, as you wish. Place the ready onions in glass or plastic freezer boxes. The frozen onions need to be used within half a year.
Still, there are more tips on storing chopped, whole and pureed onions:
Chopped – Spread the finely chopped onions on your cookie sheet and then wrap with any plastic wrap in order to maintain the smell. Place them within your freezer for sixty minutes. Take them out from freezer to pour it to zipper bag. It will ensure that all the onion pieces get frozen separately, and thus, you may use, whenever you want for cuisine.
Pureed – When you make use of pureed form of onions in stews and soups, you may utilize them, just after taking from the freezer. Roughly chop them and toss into your blender so that you can get the smooth substance. Pour the pulp into some ice trays, wrap with any plastic to freeze them. When they become solid, you have to take out the cubes and keep them within freezer bag.
Whole – You may freeze onions without cutting them. Peel off their external papery coating, wash them, and bleach in hot water for almost five minutes. Then, dry them and let them cool. Place those onions on any cookie sheet to solidify.
If you have to keep the onions out of fridge, you need to ensure that the place is properly ventilated. As the air can flow around your onions, it will avert rotting and molding. To have good aeration, hang your onions in any pantyhose, mesh bags or netted baskets. When you have planned to make use of pantyhose as option for storage, bind any knot among every bulb. Utilize these bulbs from based, slicing the onion under knot in order that the above onion may remain safe. You may also apply thread between your onions for keeping them separate.
Storing onions within paper bags
Often, the users make use of brown paper bags to keep onions. Take such kind of bag and then fold over it laterally. With the use of any punching machine, create holes on both surfaces of the creased bag. While it is completed, open up the bag. As the pantyhose or mesh, those holes may allow the circulation of air around your veggies to let them completely dry. Thus, you can try out this option for storing your onions.
Thus, it may be concluded that though onions may have longer shelf life, they may become bad at a time, when not stored appropriately. Remember that onions must not be kept close to potatoes as it will lead to spoilage faster. The chemicals, emitted by potatoes and onions react in such a manner that it causes rancidity. You may easily be competent to know if your onions have become rotten by checking the look and smell, from those vegetables.
