Fruits and vegetables are not all equal, and storing them in the same bin could affect the shelf life of some of them.
Apples, tomatoes, potatoes, melons and peaches, in particular, give off high levels of ethylene gas – a plant hormone that speeds up the ripening process.
Asparagus, garlic, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, peppers and strawberries are some of the foods most sensitive to ethylene.
If you can’t help but refrigerate them, isolate the ones that give off the most ethylene in a separate drawer and use devices like this insert for vegetable drawer OXO which absorbs the gas and increases their longevity. Potatoes, tomatoes, onions and avocados keep best at room temperature, adds Jonathan Deutsch.
These are the fresh foods that must be kept separately.