Heres How To Store Star Fruit To Make It Last Longer
Star fruit is a tropical fruit that grows in clusters of five to seven fruits. It is native to Southeast Asia and was introduced into cultivation in Hawaii. It is a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) and is closely related to the peach and plum.
The star fruit is a popular fruit in Asian cuisine and is eaten raw, cooked, juiced, or used in desserts. It is available year-round but is most common during is in-style, raw, or cooked. It is available year-round but is most abundant during the summer months. Congratulations if you’ve managed to get your hands on some star fruit! These items are difficult to come by, especially at a reasonable price.
Now that you have star-fruits, you may be wondering how to preserve them. No worries; it turns out that preserving these fruits isn’t difficult, although it does need some caution. We’ll go over how to store star fruit to help it last longer, as well as how to tell when it’s fully ripe.
How to store star fruit?
Star fruit is an exotic tropical fruit that has been gaining popularity among health-conscious people because of its high vitamin C content. It is also known as Astaria Lucida, Astilbe Chinensis, and Star apple.
It is a small round fruit that grows in clusters on vines. The fruit itself is greenish-yellow in color and has a sweet taste. It is usually eaten raw or cooked. It is rich in vitamins A, B6, C, E, folic acid, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese, and fiber.
When star fruit is fully ripe, it may be kept on the counter or in the fridge for up to one week. However, the exact date may be determined by the maturity of the fruits.
Underripe star-fruits may be stored at room temperature for approximately 2 weeks and in the refrigerator for about 4 weeks, as a general rule. Fully ripe star-fruits, on the other hand, soon turn to mush and should only be kept in the fridge for up to one week. Star fruits do not require any particular storage techniques. As long as it’s underripe, it may be kept at room temperature everywhere in the house, from the kitchen counter to the storage room. Ripe star fruits are significantly more difficult to work with.
It’s almost certainly underripe if you buy it from a shop or market. Star fruits, like bananas and avocados, are sold unripe and must be left on the counter or at room temperature to mature. The best way to preserve star fruit is determined by a variety of circumstances, including how many you have. For example, it can vary greatly between a person who has purchased a few dozens of star fruits and a home gardener whose one-time crop could weigh several kilos. This is why we’ll look at the solution from both perspectives.
Tips for storing a few star fruits
You can keep a modest amount of star fruits on your kitchen counter if you got them at the market. Allow them to ripen naturally if they aren’t totally ripe yet.
It may take 3-4 days, and during that time, you should turn the fruits every 12 hours or so to ensure that one side is not exposed to the hard surface for an extended amount of time. All of the fruits will ripen in 3-4 days this manner, and you can eat them as they ripen or as required. If you want to make sure that all of the fruits get enough air circulation, then place them in a bowl filled with water. You can use a plastic bag to cover the bowl to prevent flies from laying eggs inside.
If you’re planning to consume the entire batch within 1 day, then you don’t really need to worry too much about keeping them fresh. Just leave them where they are until they reach their full ripeness.
However, if the star fruits are entirely ripe, they must be consumed right away since they are highly fragile fruits that cannot be stored after they have fully matured. They can, however, be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Do not wash them; instead, place them in a plastic bag and place them in the vegetable crisper. Even in the fridge, you should not wash fruits or vegetables before storing them since this can add extra moisture and cause the food to rot. Only wash as necessary.
Store tips for large star fruit harvests
Star fruits grow very quickly once planted. In fact, some varieties produce multiple crops per year. Therefore, when harvesting these fruits, try to avoid overharvesting. Instead, harvest just what you need.
The most common method used to store star-fruits is to cut off the top portion of each fruit and put them into a container. Then, fill the containers with water and let them sit overnight. Afterward, drain out the excess liquid and dry the fruits using paper towels. If you have a few star fruit trees in your backyard, you will get a large yield, ranging from 8 to 15 kg per tree. As a result, your storage requirements differ from those of someone who buys a few dozens of these fruits at a market.
To keep your fruits, you’ll need more space. We’ll get to that later. Let’s start by determining what you should keep in mind before harvesting.
When buying star-fruits, check whether they are completely ripe. A greenish color indicates that the fruit isn’t ready yet. When purchasing star-fruits, always ask the seller if he/she wants to sell them whole or peeled. Peeled fruits tend to stay fresher longer than unpurified ones. However, there are times when you might prefer to peel them yourself.
In general, star-fruits do well in cool temperatures. Star fruits are harvested between mid-summer and late fall. The fruits mature during this time and must be plucked. When the star fruit ripens, it turns a waxy golden color and develops waxy skin. The fruits are just shakily attached to the trees at this point, and they may easily drop into your palm with a little tug. If you leave ripe fruits on the tree, they will fall to the ground, damaged.
To keep big quantities of underripe star fruit, you’ll need to find a dark location with good air movement. The fruits can be placed on the ground on a sheet of fabric or other natural fiber, or even a bed of garden leaves.
Allow the fruits to sit for up to two weeks if required. During this time, inspect the fruits every day to remove completely ripe and overripe fruits, as well as turn the remainder. If you’re selling the fruits at a market or shipping them to supermarkets, make sure they’re individually wrapped so they don’t compress during transportation. Before they all ripen, they’ll have to be sold.
How to keep star-fruits longer
If you want to preserve star-fruits long term, then follow these steps:
1) Wash the star fruits thoroughly. This removes any dirt or debris that could spoil the fruits. You can use cold running tap water but ensure that the surface area of the fruits has been cleaned properly.
2) Cut open the tops of the star fruits. Remove the seeds inside. These seeds contain an enzyme called polygalacturonase which causes the flesh to soften rapidly. So, removing them prevents the fruits from softening too quickly.
3) Place the star fruits upside down in a bowl filled with water. Leave them like this until the next morning. Drain away the water after 12 hours. Dry the fruits using clean cloths.
4) Keep the star fruits in a cool place. They won’t last very long outside this temperature range. In fact, they only last about three days without proper refrigeration.
5) Don’t wash the star fruits again unless absolutely necessary. Washing them once already helps prevent mold growth.
6) Once the star fruits are fully dried, wrap them tightly in plastic bags. Use zip-lock bags because they allow oxygen to pass through while preventing moisture loss.
7) Put the star fruits in a box lined with newspaper. Cover the boxes with clear plastic sheets. Ensure that the boxes remain closed throughout storage.
8 ) After one month, store the star fruits in the refrigerator.
9) Check the star fruits regularly. Discard those that show signs of decay. Star fruits should not be stored in the freezer. Freezing damages their texture and flavor.
10) Try storing the star fruits in different locations within the house. Some people say that keeping them near windows is best. Others recommend placing them in a dry cupboard.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would suggest buying fresh ripe star fruit when available. However, if you cannot get hold of fresh ones, then try preserving them by following my tips above.