FDA warns viral hack to keep avocado fresh may be harmful for health; know what experts say

A new kitchen hack to keep avocados fresh for a long period of time has gone viral. It was shared on Instagram recently, an account called @creative_explained.
Armen Adamjan, a video creator, claimed that avocados can be kept inside a jar or an airtight container full of water and placed in the fridge in summers, which will keep them “fresh for up to two weeks”, as the water will prevent the “air from oxidising them”.
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But the US Food and Drugs Adminration (FDA) has warned against this practice. An FDA spokesperson was quoted as telling Newsweek, “The FDA does not recommend this practice. The main concern is with the possibility that any residual human pathogens (i.e. Leria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., etc.) that may be residing on the avocado surface, may potentially multiply during the storage when submerged in water.”

“In addition, research performed FDA scients has shown Leria monocytogenes has the potential to infiltrate and internalise into the pulp of avocados when submerged in refrigerated dump tanks within 15 days during refrigerated storage, In this case, even surface disinfecting the avocado skin prior to slicing would not be able to remove the contamination,” they added.
So, what is the alternative, and can avocados stay fresh?

According to Smitha Shetty, a nutrition, in order to eliminate all residue human pathogens from the fruit, make sure you do these things:
1. Wash avocado half an hour before consumption.2. Change water once every two days.3. Never cut avocado and place it in the fridge or store it in water.4. Only buy what you need to consume immediately. Buy fresh.

“Anyway, if you are looking for sustainability, you would never choose avocado, since it increases your carbon footprint. We all know there is no superfood that can change your health overnight,” she tells .
According to Shetty, the best way to stay healthy is to eat local and regional food. “India has better local food options, which can provide the same nutrients if not more.”
Vijay Thakkar, a fitness entrepreneur and functional medicine coach, who is also the founder of 48 Fitness agrees. He says a hack that saves money keeping avocados fresh is something that does garner interest.

“[But,] The avocado’s pebbly skin may contain the harmful bacteria Leria monocytogenes, which may multiply during storage if the water is contaminated. Leria monocytogenes, whose infection can cause a variety of health issues, including nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and Salmonella characterised diarrhoea, fever, and stomach cramps, is the reason the FDA has flagged this trend,” he explains.
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