(JNi.media) Consumers who pick fruits and vegetables off the grocery store shelves usually do it by eyesight, which can sometimes be misleading. During the summer months it is especially important to pick fruits and vegetables correctly, to avoid disappointing and having to throw away produce that’s gone bad early.
Who better than a farmer would know how to pick a quality fruit or a vegetable? Which is why a group of Israeli farmers from Ein Yahav, a moshav in southern Israel’s Arava desert, decided to come to the aid of the country’s consumers.
They issued the first guide to picking fruits and vegetables at the point of sale by their shape, color, touch and smell, and how to store and handle each species after purchase. The guide, offering easy and simple instructions, is based on decades’ worth of the growers’ professional experience.
According to Daniel Lev, director of the Ein Yahav Agricultural Society, most Israeli growers emphasize high-level quality control, but at the point of purchase different quality produce from different sources often gets mixed together, and so it would be best if consumers became educated in knowing how to pick from the selection before them.
The guide includes a detailed description of popular fruits and vegetables: peppers, grapes, apples, lettuce, eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, scallions, zucchini, watermelon, melon and asparagus. The plan to expand the list in the future.
At the moment, the guide is available only in Hebrew. We picked a few choice fruits for you, and are looking forward to receiving a proper, English language published version.
PEPPER
Shape: Make sure it is symmetrical throughout, so the length is the same on all sides.
Color: Shell should retain full color, with no marks. The brighter the pepper, the better.
For stuffed pepper: Red pepper with a hard shell and a brilliant hue is best for stuffing.
After the purchase: Store the peppers in a plastic bag with large perforations, when paper towel inside the bag.
GRAPES
Shape: Pick an uncrowded cluster, where the vine invested more resources in a smaller number of grapes. The grapes should be plump and well connected to the stalk.
Color: The colors should be balanced – green grapes should have yellowish bottoms, and purple grapes should have strong purple bottoms. The deeper the color, the more mature grape. Deeper color indicates a higher level of oxidation
After the purchase: Do not wash the grapes, store them in the refrigerator (or freezer).
APPLES
Shape: Select an apple without soft dents or imperfections. The nicer an apple looks, the better it tatses.
Color: Make sure that the Apple is free from spots.
Contact: Press on the skin and choose the hardest apples.
After the purchase: Store in the refrigerator, and avoid storing apples with other fruits and vegetables. The apple gives off gases that cause decay.
LETTUCE
Shape: Avoid lettuce with few leaves clinging to the bag, or leaves with blackened edges.
Color: Leaves should be solid colors, note the edges and make sure they are not blackened.
Weight: It is better to choose a small and heavy lettuce, it’s usually indicative of fresh, young leaves.
After the purchase: Must be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator, preferably in a perforated bag on a bed of paper towel.