News Flash: Antioxidants Stable in Stored Fruit and Vegetables

by Deborah English — January 2, 2008

You can now think twice before throwing out those aging fruits and vegetables. Researchers in Belgium have discovered that the antioxidant level in most fruits and vegetables is relatively stable during storage - either in the fridge or at room temperature. What's more, the antioxidant capacity of some fruits and vegetables even slightly increases!

The list of fruit and vegetables studied was apples, apricots, asparagus, bananas, broccoli, carrots, celery, cherries, cucumbers, French beans, garlic, black grapes, green grapes, green peppers, kiwifruit, leeks, lemons, lettuce, melons, onions, oranges, pears, black plums, red and yellow peppers, spinach, strawberries, and tomatoes.

In this revelatory study, the researchers measured levels of different antioxidants - flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolics, and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) - from the time of purchase until the fruit and vegetables had visually spoiled. The surprising result was that most of the fruits and vegetables didn't significantly lose their antioxidant capacity until the spoilage was obvious. The only significant drop in antioxidant capacity was shown in spinach, broccoli, and bananas.

This really is great news for busy people. It might be possible to survive the week on your weekend Farmer's Market purchases. Just pop by the local vegetable shop to buy your spinach, broccoli, and bananas super fresh. However, one thing the researchers didn't include in their antioxidant study was a progressive taste test of the aging fruit and vegetables. I know for sure, I'll still be letting my taste-buds have the final say.