Sometimes tomatoes that are kept in my fridge succumb to a whitish mould. The first bits to turn white are the stems, so if I spot mould, I pluck these off. But my husband says removing the stems shortens the fridge life of the tomatoes, so it is better to leave them on. Is either of us right? And what is the white mould, and is there any way I can stop it appearing?
We are still awaiting suggestions for the type of mould and whether its growth is promoted by the stems or some other source. Most answers so far have dealt with the tangential issue addressed below – Ed
• I imagine it is the tomato’s way of saying “don’t keep me in the fridge!” Keeping tomatoes in the cold causes them to lose their taste and, unlike other fruit, they do not regain it after warming up. Do them a favour and keep them in a warmer place. I put mine under an upturned strainer to keep fruit flies away, and I try to eat them fresh – they taste much better that way.
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If the tomatoes have been harvested while still green, I keep them in the cellar, in the dark, under a couple of layers of newspaper. They redden over a few weeks, but I prefer to use them for cooking, rather than eating them raw.
Susanne Thurnay, Frankfurt, Germany