Smart Fridge Tupperware
Fresh, crispy vegetables and fruits add a lot to our daily diet. Literally magic in the kitchen, we bake magic pies from fresh fruit, prepare delicious desserts or add them to a wide variety of delicious dishes. In contrast, vegetables themselves serve as the basis for preparing a variety of appetizers, thick soups, casseroles or side dishes. And salads made from raw fruits or vegetables are an irreplaceable source of vitamins and minerals. These are extremely healthy foods, and contain few calories.For vegetables and fruits to be really tasty, they must first of all be fresh.
The fact is that only fresh food products are truly fragrant and contain especially many vitamins. There is only one way to preserve these properties - to store them in Tupperware® containers. Our unique Smart Refrigerator series of containers has been designed specifically for storing fruits and vegetables.
So what is freshness?
It is very easy to determine the degree of freshness of vegetables and fruits: color, shape, taste, smell, percentage of edible components, as well as the content of vitamins - these are the indicators characterizing the quality of these products. For example, a fresh strawberry has a bright red color and a shiny surface, it is juicy and smells very appetizing, besides it contains many vitamins, and it can be eaten whole, that is, almost to the pedicel. Depending on the variety and storage conditions, strawberries picked from the garden stay fresh from several days to several weeks. However, every day it still loses its original qualities.
We save vitamins
Most vegetables and fruits are very rich in vitamins and minerals. These are vital elements that our body is not able to produce on its own, so we must consume them daily with food. Vitamins, and especially vitamin C, are very sensitive to external influences. Under the influence of light, air or high temperatures, they are destroyed.
Consequently, the storage conditions of vegetables and fruits play a decisive role, and the content of vitamins in these food products depends on these conditions. Vegetables and fruits, with a few exceptions, should be stored in a cool, dark place and most importantly in Tupperware® containers.
However, the optimal storage conditions for certain types of vegetables and fruits are different. So, some of them need constant air circulation. Such conditions are provided by our containers from the “Smart Refrigerator” series.
Gentle cooking
Having done everything so that during storage the vegetables and fruits do not lose the nutrients they contain, you need to prepare them so that these nutrients are not destroyed during heat treatment:
When washing raw vegetables and fruits, never keep them in water for any length of time, otherwise they will lose their vitamins and minerals. Simmer them in either very little or no water at all. Small amounts of fruits and vegetables are best cooked in the microwave using the Microplus products, and large amounts in a saucepan. Vegetables should be stewed until half cooked; too long heat treatment destroys the vitamins they contain. Ready meals should not be kept in a warm place for too long, otherwise they will lose their vitamins. If necessary, it is better to reheat them in the microwave. All products are aging!
Even under optimal storage conditions, food will “age” and deteriorate over time. There are several reasons for this:
Microbiological processes:
This is the main cause of food spoilage. So, due to the vital activity of bacteria, vegetables and fruits begin to rot, under the influence of mold fungi, bread, vegetables and fruits become moldy, and yeast bacteria cause spoilage of fruit juices.
Physical processes:
As a result of these processes, the percentage of moisture content in products changes, which, in turn, entails a change in color, shape and taste. At the same time, dry foods begin to take water from the air (as a result, for example, crispy cookies become soft), and foods containing a lot of liquid give moisture to the environment (for example, vegetables and fruits wilt, and bread stale).
Biochemical processes:
The enzymes contained in foods break down fats, starch and proteins, as a result of which, in combination with the effect of oxygen, new elements are formed in them, sometimes even harmful to human health.As a result, the fat, for example, becomes rancid, and the meat goes out; in addition, they lose vitamins. The ripening of vegetables and fruits is also a biochemical process.
Vegetables and fruits "breathe" even after the harvest
Even after harvesting, certain metabolic processes continue in vegetables and fruits: they breathe, that is, they consume oxygen from the air and give the external environment carbon dioxide and water vapor. For some species this is more typical, and for others - to a lesser extent.
Plants need oxygen for biochemical processes that lead not only to the ripening of fruits, but also to their spoilage. The more oxygen the fruits receive, the faster these processes proceed. Giving moisture to the external environment, vegetables and fruits wither. At the same time, water accumulating in the container becomes a fertile environment for bacteria and fungi, as a result of which vegetables and fruits begin to deteriorate or become moldy. In addition, carbon dioxide leads to premature aging of food. From the foregoing, it follows: vegetables and fruits should not be given access to an excess amount of oxygen, that is, they should be stored in closed containers. However, in order to prevent the accumulation of carbon dioxide and moisture in these containers, some varieties need to be ventilated. Depending on the intensity of "breathing" vegetables and fruits can be divided into three groups:
First group:
Varieties that breathe intensively. They require a lot of oxygen and give off a lot of carbon dioxide and moisture.
This group includes: artichoke, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, chicory, peas, spinach, sweet corn (not on the cob)
Second group:
Varieties with an average intensity of "respiration", the requirements of which in oxygen can be called neither high nor low, and which emit an average amount of carbon dioxide and moisture.
This group includes: beans, bean sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, fennel (fennel), shallots, leeks, all types of salads, parsnips, rhubarb, ripe apples and pears, citrus fruits, peppers (sweet, spicy and etc.)
Third group:
Varieties with low intensity of "respiration", which consume little oxygen and give the external environment little carbon dioxide and moisture.
This group includes: asparagus, eggplant, beets, young mushrooms, carrots, celery, cucumber, fresh spicy aromatic herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, dill, etc.), zucchini, pumpkin (cut), radish, turnip, berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), cherries, figs, grapes, lychees, passion fruit, pineapple (ripe, peeled and sliced), ripe: apricots, avocado, bananas, kiwi, mango, melon, nectarines, papaya, peaches, plums , tomatoes.
If you have to open classic Tupperware containers more or less often to remove carbon dioxide and moisture from them, then with the new containers from the Smart Refrigerator series everything is much easier. Thanks to the valve system, gas exchange constantly takes place in them, and in a given individual mode, and now you no longer need to open the lid and ventilate the products stored in them.
The optimal solution - containers "Smart Refrigerator"
This series of elaborate containers was created through intensive scientific research at Florida State University (USA) and is designed specifically for storing vegetables and fruits. A unique ventilation system allows you to regulate the air composition, that is, the climate in these containers. It is impossible to influence the composition of the air in a closed container; periodically opening the lid, you can only ventilate the food stored in it. At the same time, by opening and closing one or both valves of the Smart Refrigerator container, it is possible to regulate the air humidity, as well as the content of oxygen and carbon dioxide in it, depending on the individual needs of a particular type of vegetables and fruits, which makes them much longer stay fresh.So that you can find out at any time exactly what climate this particular fruit needs, as well as how many valves you need to open or close, we offer a color sticker with relevant information. We recommend that you place this sticker near the place where you usually prepare fruits and vegetables for storage.
High breathing intensity - both valves open Medium breathing intensity - one valve open, the other closed open Low breathing intensity - both valves closed Integrated freshness grill
Moisture released during storage of food in the container settles on its walls and lid in the form of condensation and finally flows down to the bottom of the container. Our "freshness grills" have proven in practice that the vegetables and fruits stored on them remain dry and, therefore, fresh for a long time. Much less condensation is formed in the Smart Refrigerator containers, however, it still cannot do without it, otherwise the food stored in these containers will dry out quickly. Therefore, the "freshness grate" is necessary in these containers as well. Moreover, the initial idea, which made it possible to create such a grate, was further developed in these containers: the recesses at the bottom of the containers are at the same time a built-in “freshness grate”, which cannot be lost and which does not require additional time to wash. Condensation flows into these recesses and does not come into contact with the food stored in the container.
Suitable container for any type of vegetables and fruits and for any number of them
A container of the correct size is also important for extending the shelf life of vegetables and fruits. If the container is too large, it contains a lot of air and therefore a lot of oxygen. If it is too small, the food stored in it will press on each other, as a result of which bruises may form on vegetables and fruits. To create optimal storage conditions for small, medium and large quantities of vegetables and fruits, as well as for optimal storage of small and large fruit species, Tupperware® offers Smart Refrigerator containers in a variety of sizes:
1. Container "Smart Refrigerator", 1 liter (width 15.2 cm x length 15.2 cm x height 8.6 cm)
Indispensable for storing small and medium amounts of vegetables and fruits Can be used for storing such small-fruited species as: berries, grapes, ripe apricots or plums, mushrooms, soybean sprouts, beans, Brussels sprouts
2. Container "Smart Refrigerator", with a volume of 1.6 liters (width 15.2 cm x length 22.8 cm, height 8.6 cm) Has a suitable size for storing medium to large quantities: berries, grapes, ripe apricots and plumredis , mushrooms, soy sprouts, beans or Brussels sprouts Can be used to store large-fruited species such as: apples, pears, citrus fruits, zucchini, eggplant, horseradish, fennel, carrots, bell peppers or broccoli
3. Container "Smart Refrigerator" with a volume of 4.6 liters (width 15.2 cm x length 38 cm x height 12.7 cm) Large container for storing fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or in the cellar at the dacha Suitable primarily for storage elongated rhubarb, pineapple-gherkin, leaf celery, leek, green onion, radish
Classic containers for storing vegetables and fruits
Of course, you can also use other Tupperware® containers with "freshness grid" to store all vegetables and fruits from the third group (Freshness-Pavilion, Super-Star, Vegetable set, Large split tray with grid). Such products do not need special ventilation; during storage, both valves of the Smart Refrigerator containers must be kept closed, so that in this case these containers will be identical.
Nobody can smell them
Depending on the intensity of "breathing", all vegetables and fruits can be divided into three groups. Fruits belonging to different groups should in no case be stored together, otherwise such storage conditions cannot be called optimal.
However, there is another reason why certain types of fruits and vegetables cannot be put in the same container. The fact is that some varieties of vegetables and fruits emit different gases or odors, so they cannot be stored together, even if they are characterized by the same intensity of "breathing": apples, for example, release ethylene, a gas that "ages" salads ahead of time and potatoes. Tomatoes also emit ethylene. Onions have a strong odor that can be passed on to other vegetables and fruits.
They don't like the cold
There are types of vegetables and fruits that are very susceptible to cold. They should not be stored in the refrigerator, but at room temperature:
Apricots, avocados, bananas, kiwis, mangoes, melons, nectarines, papayas, peaches and plums: if these fruits are not fully ripe, it is not recommended to store them in the refrigerator, as at low temperatures the ripening process is suspended or may be uneven. Only when these fruits are ripe can they be transferred to the refrigerator, and in a closed container (either in the Smart Refrigerator container with closed valves, or in another container with a "freshness grid").
Garlic, onions, and potatoes: Store them in a cool dry place. In addition, these vegetables should be stored in a dark place, as they can germinate in the light, and potatoes can also become covered with green spots containing the vegetable poison solanine.
Please note!
Tomatoes just removed from the bushes will retain their characteristic smell only if they are not stored in the cold, that is, it is not recommended to put them in the refrigerator. Ripe tomatoes should be stored in the same way as other cold-sensitive fruits and vegetables.
We make supplies during the season!
We advise you to stockpile vegetables and fruits during the harvest season, as prices for them are much lower during this time. In addition, vegetables and fruits grown in the open field are much tastier than greenhouse fruits or fruits imported to us from abroad, which, moreover, due to high transportation costs, are much more expensive than domestic ones. Even disregarding the huge costs of transportation, what do we actually know about the plant protection products that are used in these distant countries? In addition, during a long journey in packaging, they lose many nutrients, primarily vitamins. And these guests from distant countries are hardly as tasty as Russian or European fruits and vegetables harvested during their ripening season.
Keeping the environment in mind when shopping
By buying vegetables and fruits, you can do a lot to preserve the environment! Of course, at present, housewives are unlikely to be able to do without such imported vegetables and fruits as, for example, citrus fruits, bananas, bell peppers, zucchini, etc. But even when you buy seasonal fruits, salads and vegetables grown in our country or in neighboring European countries, we advise you to refuse the store packaging.
In many grocery stores and supermarkets, most vegetables and fruits are available in bulk. In addition to what is actually hiding under the shiny plastic wrap in which vegetables, salads or fruits are wrapped, you can only make out when you come home.
Your best bet is to ask the vendor to transfer the bulk sold vegetables and fruits straight to your Tupperware container so they can be stored in the optimal storage environment at the point of purchase, not at home, which can only happen after a few hours. This eliminates the unnecessary packaging material that you still have to throw away later and that adds to the already huge pollution dumps. And, finally, at home you do not have to transfer purchased products from one container to another; all you have to do is put the container with vegetables or fruits in the refrigerator. This is the only way to preserve their original freshness.
Some more useful tips from TUPPERWARE
Ripe vegetables and fruits can go bad or moldy even if stored in the refrigerator for just a few days. Sliced fruit should be stored in a closed container. Chopped vegetables are in the same group as whole vegetables. Exception: Vegetables that should be stored at room temperature - If you have chopped these vegetables, they should be kept in a closed container. Redesigned f vegetables should not be stored in the refrigerator for more than three to four days. Vegetables and fruits should not be washed before storing them. Store them dry.
