Orange can easily lift your mood with its aroma and taste in cold autumn weather.
It is very juicy and fragrant.
The fruits are rich in beneficial vitamins and trace elements.
Their benefit is indisputable for maintaining the immune system during seasonal vitamin deficiency.
Vitamin C is very important for our body. 100 grams of oranges contain less than 30 kcal.
Orange will help those on a diet lose weight without creating a vitamin deficiency in the body.
But in order to preserve both the benefits and the taste qualities, you need to choose them properly and then provide the right storing conditions.
Let’s review the best way to store oranges.
How Long Are Oranges Good for?
When choosing a place to store oranges, it is vital to know how long you are going to store them since under different thermal conditions the orange shelf life can be increased from one week to several months:
- Store oranges in usual environment in a dark place. If you bought oranges not for long storage, but to eat immediately, then you can safely put them on the table in the room. They will remain tasty for no more than one week.
- Keep oranges in the fridge. To prolong orange durability, you can use a special compartment for fruits and vegetables in the fridge. It is important to take them out at least once a day for several hours to stay at room temperature. The average shelf life of ripe oranges is 10 days when kept in the fridge.
- Store oranges in a cool cellar. If you have a cellar in your house or garage where the average humidity is 80-90% and the temperature is up to 10 degrees, then oranges can last there for about 2 weeks.
How to Choose Oranges?
There are several important factors to keep in mind when buying oranges:
- fruits should have a bright orange smell. And the strong aroma speaks of the freshness and ripeness of the fruit
- estimate the weight of the orange in your hand. If it is heavy enough, then it is well ripe. This orange is sweet, juicy, and delicious
- choose small ones. As a rule, smaller fruits taste better than larger ones
- specify the time when oranges were collected. The fruits, which were harvested in November and December, are not only the sweetest but also last longer
- pay attention to the surface of the fruit. The ripe delicious orange has a slightly flaky skin that is easy to peel. But the dense non-porous surface indicates that the orange is still very unripe
- the color of the orange should not be misleading you. Oranges can be of a greenish tinge, but quite ripe and delicious. And a beautiful bright orange color can be made so, unfortunately, artificially
How Long Do Oranges Last in the Fridge?
The minimum orange shelf life in the cold place is 12-14 days. It refers to ripe oranges. But this term can be up to a month.
Unripe yellowish fruits last 2-3 months, and greenish can remain good for up to six months.
The most suitable place is a fruit box (3-8 C).
Too low temperature is not suggested as it will destroy the vitamins. If there are many oranges, you should periodically inspect them.
Dispose of all soft fruits that have dark spots, white patches, dents, so as not to spoil others.
The orange zest keeps all the benefits and taste and takes much less space in the fridge.
Dip the fruits in boiling water for 3-5 minutes, cut, remove the seeds and grind on a meat grinder or process with the blender.
Add sugar to the mass, stir well, put in a jar and remove it in the refrigerator.
How to Prolong Orange Shelf Life?
To sustain oranges for 1.5 months, wipe each fruit dry, wrap it in parchment paper or a napkin and place it in an enamel pan.
Put the pan in the fridge. Inspect the fruits once a week. It will allow you to identify bad oranges in time and remove them before they spoil other fruits.
You can also cut the orange into thin slices and place it in a jar, pouring each layer with sugar. In this state, oranges can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.
How to Tell if Oranges Are Bad?
High humidity can provoke the process of decay. However, spotting and greenness is not an indicator of bad oranges. Citrus fruits should be fresh, clean, without mechanical damage, spoilage by pests and diseases, with a stalk evenly cut off at the base of the fruit. Fruits with a dropped, but not torn stalk are allowed.
If the peel of the citrus is friable, soft, with signs of dehydration and wrinkling, most likely, inside the fruit is dried or spoiled. Saturation and expressiveness of aroma is the main indicator of freshness.
Can You Freeze Oranges?
These fruits are easy to store. They can be kept in a dry, dark place or in the fridge, in the lower compartment for vegetables and fruits for two weeks. The main rule of storage is not to freeze them.
Tips for Storing Oranges
If the fruits are to be stored for a while, then the fruits must be prepared in advance. There are several rules and nuances that will help the fruits not lose their appearance and taste.
- it is better to use cardboard boxes to store oranges, or wrap each fruit in the paper;
- in no case can oranges be kept in polyethylene (from lack of air and creation of humid conditions, citrus spoils and rot quickly);
- storing citrus with a sharp decrease in temperature can deprive them of taste;
- oranges wrapped in regular napkins can last longer;
- if the fruits are to be refrigerated for some time, then periodically they should be kept at normal temperatures;
- it is not advisable to place oranges close to other fruits or food (products can acquire the orange odor, and the citrus itself can deteriorate under the influence of components, accelerating the process of decay);
- if you keep a lot of oranges in one place, then you should periodically inspect the fruits (if dark spots appear on the surface of the citrus fruits, remove bad oranges);
- if you are going to store oranges for a long period, then it is better to buy not too ripe citrus fruits. In this case, they will have to be stored in a dark place at average temperature. Such fruits will not ripen in the refrigerator;
- vegetable oil can prolong the orange shelf life if you rub the peel slightly with it.
What About Orange Juice? Storage, Lifespan, And More
Oranges are good but making refreshing delicious juice out of them is even better! Cold or not, with ice or mixed with other juices, this natural drink is a true rescue for summertime. Besides, it is loaded with vitamins.
And if you hesitate whether store-bought orange juice is really healthy, we suggest you produce this drink yourself – it is very easy and won’t take much time.
Of course, it is important to remember this.
Basic keeping instructions to make oranges last longer
Freshly squizzed juice
So, freshly squeezed orange juice lasts for two or three days refrigerated. Not too much, we agree, but do you really think it will stay there even for a day?
It’s so hard to resist taking a glass or two of it when you’re thirsty!
How to expand juices lifespan
If you want to keep it longer, then try to freeze it. Like this, its lifespan will extend to 3-4 months.
For preserving:
- wash the citruses under the running water without any washing agents (oranges absorb products easily)
- cut
Go for either a juice squeezer or a juice-making machine to get the liquid out of fruits.
It’s ok to leave the pulp but the seeds must be removed.
We don’t recommend using a freezer-resistant bag for keeping frozen juice since the material is not too durable and it can tear as juice expands when being solidified.
- Instead, take a glass or plastic frost-friendly bottle and fill it with the orange drink leaving enough space on top.
- Another option is to use ice cube trays (to fill a standard one you’ll need a bag with seven oranges).
- If you decide to leave the drink refrigerated, check it for any spoilage symptoms.
- Off smell, mold, bad taste – these are all the signs of degrading quality.
- As for the orange juice, mold and other spoilage signs appear when the liquid gets in constant contact with heat and light. Temperature fluctuations can also cause its quality degrading. That’s why your fridge is the safest place for the drink.
- If you buy already packed drink in a store, then it can be kept in a pantry/cabinet while unopened.
Once you unscrew it, refrigerate immediately.
How Long Are Oranges Good For When Prepared In a Dish?
Oranges are hard to call long lasting once you peel them and cut them. These juicy pieces of fruit tend to dry out pretty fast which means that a cut orange will hardly survive a day on the kitchen counter!
This is why, if you are about to prep any dish that contains oranges (for instance, a fruit salad), try not to leave it out for too long and eat it while it is still fresh. Like this, you will enjoy the sour sweetness of these orange orbs fully.
How Long Do Oranges Last After Harvesting?
If you grow oranges yourself, you might already ask yourself how much time they will remain fresh after you pick them from the tree. See, these citruces will not live long after you harvest them, so finding the ideal way to extend their lifespan is a point of concern for many farmers.
In general, the optimal way to make your oranges last for the longest is to leave them on their trees! Like this, they will be able to stay fresh and sweet for weeks more. But if you do need to pick up some of them and store, consider the term of keeping:
- when kept at room temperature, ripe oranges will stay fine for up to one week
- if you refrigerate them in a crisper drawer, oranges will extend their shelf life to three or even four weeks
- finally, frozen oranges will remain ok through the whole year after you toss them into the freezer
Remember to pack the citruces correctly to preserve, and oranges will retain their juice, taste, and texture much longer.
Conclusion
Oranges are delicious and healthy. They provide us with tons of vitamins, this is why it is important to consume them while they are still at the highest peak of their ripeness. To do this, always check these citruces for freshness when storing them at home. Like this, you will be able to spot the very first signs of spoilage and discard the decayed pieces.
In addition, consider keeping oranges right. Since they don’t last long when not chilled or frozen, refrigerate your oranges to make them last for another week or two, and freeze if you need them to be used much later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nobody likes when oranges that have recently been fresh and juicy turn into a rotten filthy mess. Why does it happen? Mostly because we don’t know how to keep them right!
How to preserve your fruits from spoilage and keep them tasty longer? You will find the answer below!
Will Oranges Last Longer In the Refrigerator?
If you bought them fresh and put to the refrigerator at once after you got back home from the store, you can store your oranges in the fridge for at least three weeks, but no longer than two months.
However, if they were kept in a warm place for a while after being bought, and then you put them to the fridge, the storage time will be shorter.
Unlike fresh oranges, cut fruit will last for a couple of days only even in the fridge!
How Long Will Oranges Last at Room Temperature?
Again, if you bought fresh fruit, you can keep them at room temperature for around one week. Only make sure that it is not too hot in the place where you store the citrus.
If you keep oranges at room temperature longer, they may lose their flavor and get dried up.
How Long Do Oranges Last On the Counter?
If you prefer to keep oranges on the counter, keep in mind that, when being fresh, their lifespan will be about two or three weeks. However, if you cut them, you must eat them the same day otherwise they will get dry.
How Long Can Oranges Last Before Going Bad?
Everything depends on the storage conditions and the quality of fruit. If you keep them in the fridge, they can last for up to two months whilst at room temperature, they will survive for one week at the maximum.
When being stored on the counter, fresh oranges can remain of good quality for two or three weeks, but if you decide to put them to the freezer, you will be able to enjoy them even after ten or twelve months!
Also, note that cut oranges lest less long – one or two days in the fridge and during the day you bought them if stored on the counter.
