Lemons are naturally acidic and have a short shelf life if not stored correctly and at the right temperature. They dry up very quickly and develop undesirable black spots, and then eventually begin to rot. This is because lemon's thin skin has tiny pores which are hard to see. These pores enable moisture to escape, leaving the fruit dry and lacking in flavour. Generally, we store lemons at a moderate room temperature in our kitchen or refrigerate them. However, by the time we want to squeeze some lemon juice, we often find that the lemons have become hard and dry, with a brown colour. What many of us don't know is that lemons kept at room temperature for a longer duration tend to harden.
While purchasing lemons from the market, make sure you buy fresh and thin-skinned lemons as they are juicier as compared to hard-skinned ones. The condition of the lemons you purchase really impacts their shelf life. However, to make things easy for you, we have listed down different ways in which you can store at home and keep them fresh for a longer duration.
Here Are 6 Interesting Ways To Store Lemons And Keep Them Fresh:
1. Dip Them In Water
One of the easy methods to keep lemons fresh for a longer time is to keep them in a glass jar filled with water. Place all the lemons in the jar filled with water and keep it in the refrigerator. This will keep them fresh and juicy for days.
Also Read: Kitchen Tips: 5 Mistakes We Must Avoid While Storing Food In Refrigerator
Do not use warm water to dip the lemons. Photo Credit: iStock
2. Avoid Storing Them With Apples And Bananas
Ethylene is a hormone that causes fruits to ripen and go stale, and lemons are particularly sensitive to it. Therefore, it is important to avoid storing lemons near fruits that produce ethylene, such as apricots, apples, bananas, and so on.
Avoid storing lemons near fruits that produce ethylene. Photo Credit: Photo: iStock
3. Seal Them Up
One of the best ways to store lemons is to place them in a sealed zip-lock bag and remove all the air. This prevents air from entering the bag, which helps the lemons retain their juice and flavour for a longer period of time.
Also Read: 5 Mistakes We All Are Guilty Of Making While Storing Food
4. Use A Plastic Container
We all have plastic containers at home. All you have to do is wrap up the lemons in plastic wrap and put them in an air-tight container and store it in the refrigerator.
Use a tight plastic container to store lemons. Photo Credit: istock
5. Wrap Them In Aluminum Foil
When you only have a few lemons to store, it is best to wrap each one individually in aluminum foil to help prolong their freshness. Wrapping them in foil prevents moisture from escaping and helps to maintain the lemons' natural moisture content, which can prevent them from drying out and becoming hard.
Also Read: How Not To Store Common Foods For Better Shelf Life
6. Lemon Juice
This is the most effective method for preserving lemon juice over time. Simply extract the entire lemon juice and store them in a glass jar and keep it in the refrigerator. For a deeper flavour, combine sugar and salt. Lemon juice keeps better and lasts longer when sugar is added to it.
Lemon juice can be added in salads and meals. Photo Credit: facebook/skin and beauty
Which method did you find the most helpful? Do let us know in the comment section.
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)