How to Prevent Cut Fruit from Turning Brown (2024)

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How to Prevent Cut Fruit from Turning Brown (1)

Trapped inside the tissue of fruits are molecules known as enzymes. These enzymes help fruit ripen and turn brown. When fruit is cut or starts to break down, the enzyme is released from the tissue of the fruit and exposed to air which causes the fruit to rapidly change color. This is known as enzymatic browning.

Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by:

  • Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice.

  • Use a commercial anti-darkening preparation with fruits, such as Fruit-Fresh®*, and follow the manufacturer's directions.

  • Mix them with acidic fruits like oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and other citrus fruit or pineapple. Prepare the acidic fruit(s) first. Then, cut the other fruits, mixing them in with the acidic fruit(s) as you prepare them.

  • Mix with honey water. Dilute 2 tablespoons of honey with 1 cup of water, mix cut fruit with the diluted honey.

Wait until it is as close as possible to serving time to cut fruit. Cover and refrigerate cut fruit until ready to serve. Refrigerate peeled/cut fruits and vegetables so they are at room temperature no longer than 2 hours, TOTAL time.

*Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended of those not mentioned and no endorsem*nt by University of Nebraska—Lincoln Extension is implied for those mentioned.

Sources:

  1. Fruit and Vegetables: Enzymic Browning, Love Food, Love Science

  2. Fruits and Vegetables: Keep Them Fresh to Keep You Healthy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  3. How should I store cut fruit? United States Department of Agriculture

  4. Peterson, Lisa, How do I stop my apples from turning brown? Illinois Extension

This article was originally written by Alice Henneman, MS, RDN. Reviewed and updated by Ellyn McCarter, UNL Dietetic Intern, in 2021.

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How to Prevent Cut Fruit from Turning Brown (2024)

FAQs

How to Prevent Cut Fruit from Turning Brown? ›

Keep cut fruits, such as apples, pears, bananas, and peaches from turning brown by: Coating them with an acidic juice such as lemon, orange, or pineapple juice.

What is used to help prevent the browning of cut fruit? ›

Any type of citrus juice—lemon, lime, or orange juice—will work here; pineapple juice will do the trick too. These fruit juices contain citric acid, which slows the chemical reaction and prevents browning. (You can also sprinkle the fruit with powdered citric acid, but it may leave a strong sour flavor.)

How to keep fruit fresh when cut? ›

It couldn't be easier to soak your fruits. Simply cut however much fruit you'd like, pop it in an airtight container and add the juice of your choice. Most fruit will float, so toss gently to ensure all of the pieces of fruit have good coverage. You can then take your fruit to work and enjoy it whenever you like.

What can you put on an apple slice to keep it from turning brown? ›

Method #1: Lemon Juice

Therefore, when you apply lemon juice to apple slices, it helps to prevent the oxidation process. To use this method to prevent apples from turning brown, create a water bath for your apple slices with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of water.

How to make fruit last longer? ›

Just mix 1 part white vinegar with 3 parts water, dip your fruits and vegetables, and then wash them gently but thoroughly. Vinegar not only prevents mold buildup and rotting, but also helps get rid of pesticides on conventionally grown produce and fruit, and kills bacteria that could be clinging on your vegetables.

How fruits after cutting can be kept fresh? ›

After adding lemon juice, the fruits should be stored in refrigerator. If you don't like the first idea, considering it may affect the original flavor, you can store your cut fruits in bowls with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Make sure you poke a few holes into it.

What powder keeps fruit from turning brown? ›

Citric acid is used to preserve the color of fresh cut fruit or as a pre-treatment for frozen and dried fruit. It can be used either alone or mixed with other substances, such as ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, and EDTA.

Does lemon juice help keep fruit fresh? ›

To prevent the effects of oxidation, fruit needs citric acid, and lemons are full of it. As a natural antioxidant, lemon juice can help prolong the life of fruit salad (as well as its visual appeal) by inactivating the enzyme polyphenol oxidase, which is responsible for the browning.

How long before a party can you cut fruit? ›

Most fruits can be sliced 3 to 4 days in advance. Tip: Store fruits like blueberries and strawberries in an airtight jar with a paper towel at the bottom. This hack will keep your fruit fresher for longer.

Is it OK to cut up fruit the night before? ›

Most fruits will last about five days after being sliced (some vegetables a few days longer) as long as you follow a few rules: store them in an airtight container and always refrigerate cut produce. Fruits like apples, pears, bananas and avocados are not the best candidates for slicing ahead of time since they brown ...

How do edible arrangements keep fruit from browning? ›

Keeping it fresh

The company doesn't use dry ice, wax or preservatives to keep the fruit fresh. It stays cold and crisp because the arrangements are not made until a customer orders them and then they're delivered in refrigerated trucks from from one of Edible Arrangements' 1200-plus store locations.

Will vinegar keep fruit from turning brown? ›

Lemon juice, Vinegar, clear soda will all prevent food from turning brown quickly. These liquids are acidic, so they will lower the pH of the food surface. Olive oil, will also prevent food from browning, but is less effective than the acids. Water and salt water will also slow the browning of foods.

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