The second one, with the avocado cut out, begins to be etched by the moment. Within hours, the fruit turns from appetizing green to unattractive brown. But why do avocados turn brown so quickly?
It comes down to chemistry. Avocados contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO).
You might like it
An oxidation process, often called enzymatic browning, breaks down fruit. “Avocados have an extremely high fat content,” Fatino said. “Humans long for that lovely, buttery fat texture.” So, when enzymes react with oxygen, the creamy fat in the fruit can start to become bitter, but that’s not so appealing.
A bit of browning doesn’t mean you need to throw away the avocado, and you can still eat it.
“Only the exposed meat turns brown, and you can remove the thin layer of it and enjoy the green part below it,” said Sarah Alsing, a registered dietitian and recipe creator, was happy to be fueled.
Mashing up avocados can also hide slight bitterness. But there are restrictions, Fatino said. “If you let me go too far – I talk every day – you can get a strong taste,” he said.
How to make avocado last longer
You may have heard this trick that slows down the brown process. If you’re not ready to use the entire avocado, put the pit in.
“That’s because the pits cover a lot of the cells,” Fatino said. Some browns can occur around the pit, but they become green below the pit.
The news isn’t that good for your rest of Guac. “On the other hand, grinding avocados will result in more surface area exposed to oxygen, making them browner faster,” he added. However, covering unused avocados, preparing guacamole with plastic, or placing them in airtight containers can help limit oxygen exposure and store them.
You might like it
Another way to keep avocado fresh is lowering its pH, making it more acidic. Therefore, cut-up packaged fruits often have lemon or lime juice as preservatives on their ingredients list. And it will help you add a little extra lime to your guacamole.
“Citric acid in lemon and lime juice slows down oxidation,” Alsing said. “Squeeze a little juice over the avocado meat to slow the brown.”
In addition to turning brown, avocados sometimes go through brown chains.
“The fibrous threads of avocados are called vascular bundles and carry nutrients and water to help the avocado grow,” Alsing told Live Science. “These are usually only found in avocados on immature trees.”
Avocados can become fibrous if they tear excessively on the tree. If the fruit is past season and is too long, the avocado pits (fruit seeds) will begin to germinate. “Seeds will probably bring out more light acimation [carbohydrates created during photosynthesis] From the trees, and bundles of blood vessels, are about to develop further to nurse that seed,” Fatino said.
Environmental stressors can also affect the last time of the avocado. Native to Mexico and Central America, avocado trees are sensitive to frost and extreme heat.
“A cold level is enough to damage avocado shoots and avocado trees to areas that could ruin next year’s crop,” Fatino said. If there is too much heat, the tree will close and remove the fruit.
“All kinds of physical damage can cause oxygen to enter and fruit breakdowns can occur faster,” Fatino said.
So don’t mash for guacamole, slice it over toast, eat plains and sweat a little on avocado. Enjoy the delicious fruit, remove oxygen from the remaining avocado and squeeze a bit of citrus juice.
Source link