How to Store Kiwi – Refrigerate or Freeze after Cutting?

Did you know it’s possible to actually enjoy fresh kiwi throughout the year even when off-season? Once you’re familiar with its seasonality you can buy kiwi in bulk towards the end of the season and store it appropriately until it’s back in season.

Here in the US kiwi fruit is usually in season in the month of October through May while in other parts like new Zealand in the month of May through October. Although kiwi will always be in the market throughout the year, you might need to spend an extra coin on the imported ones.

So, how do you store kiwi to keep it fresh for longer?

The best way to store kiwifruit is at room temperature away from sunlight for a maximum of 7 days. Once it ripens, store it in the fridge to prevent over-ripening hence prolonging its shelf life.

In order to have your kiwi fresh and minimize wastage, read below and learn how best you can store it.

Best ways to store kiwi

You can store kiwi at room temperature away from direct sunlight for a couple of days as it ripens better and fast at room temperature compared to when refrigerated.

Once your kiwi ripens, store it away from ethylene-producing fruits like apples, pears, and ripe bananas which over-ripens the kiwi hence shortening its shelf life.

Pro tip: Once you cut kiwi, make sure to store it in an airtight container to prevent it from drying.

Can you refrigerate kiwi?

yes, you can refrigerate whole kiwi fruit. As a matter of fact, refrigeration keeps kiwi fresh for longer especially if it’s still unripe. The low temperatures in the fridge slow down the ripening process hence prolonging its shelf life for up to 4 weeks.

However, if you like your kiwi sweeter and juicer, ensure it is fully ripe before refrigerating and use it in 5-7days’ time.

How to store kiwi after cutting

First of all, you need to make sure that the kiwi is fully ripe before cutting since it does not continue ripening once cut no matter how well you store it. Once you cut the fruit, put it in an airtight container to lock in the moisture and store it in the fridge or freezer.

Here’s how to refrigerate cut kiwi and keep it fresh for longer

Refrigeration

1. Rinse kiwi under running water
2. Carefully remove the skin and cut it into any shape and size of your desire.
3. Put it in an airtight container to prevent loss of moisture that occurs when exposed to air.
4. Put the container in the fridge.

When you store your cut kiwi this way, it will remain fresh in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Freezing

While the most preferred method of storing kiwi fruit is refrigeration, you might want to freeze it to make it remain fresh for a longer period especially if you have plenty of it.

Frozen kiwi will stay fresh all-year-long if properly stored using the following procedure:

1. Rinse kiwi under running water
2. Remove the skin and slice to ease freezing
3. Spread the slices on a baking tray in a single layer.
4. Freeze for 2-3 hours or until fully frozen.
5. Transfer in a freezing bag and seal making sure to remove any air inside.
6. Put the bag in the freezer.

Disadvantages of freezing kiwi

As much as freezing kiwi keeps it fresh for longer, it also has its own disadvantages which may affect how you will use it in the future as described below:

Kiwi becomes mushy when thawed: Frozen kiwi will limit your use in different types of recipes. Due to its mushiness, you can only use it in smoothies and recipes that require blending.

Time-consuming: Even though smoothies are best served cold, little thawing is necessary to avoid overworking the blender or kitchen juicer. However, the process of thawing takes time, meaning you’ll always want to start your preparations earlier than usual.

How to ripen kiwi

Sometimes you may need to buy both ripe and unripe kiwi for various reasons. To ripen your kiwi, simply leave them on the kitchen counter for 3-5 days or simply put them in a bag with a pear or a ripe banana to fasten the process. Bananas and pears are known to produce ethylene gas which speeds up the ripening process making kiwi ready in two days.

Kiwi is ripe when you can press the outside with your thumb and it gives to light pressure. If you apply pressure and the fruit doesn’t give at all, it is not ready to eat or preserve.

Oregon State University

How to choose/select fresh ripe kiwi

Always check out the following traits for freshness when purchasing ripe kiwi.

• It should be plump
• Ripe kiwi should have a sweet, citrus smell
• It should yield to gentle pressure
• The skin should be smooth free from bruises and wrinkles
• A ripe kiwi will have brown and fuzzy skin.
• The seeds inside will turn black

How to tell when kiwi is going bad

A spoiling kiwi will have the following traits:

• It will be very soft to touch
• It will have dark sports
• It will have an off smell
• Cut kiwi will grow mold

Read more Kitchen Tips and Guides.

References

• North Dakota State University: FOCUS ON WHOLE FRUITS: How to Select and Store Fruit
• Oregon State University: How to Preserve Kiwi Fruit