We often buy carrots in bulk from the supermarket since the big bag is cheaper than the smaller bag. However, it’s always disappointing when you are set to make that perfect meal only to find that one of your ingredients (carrots) went bad during storage.
The only thing we can think of besides how to still get that meal to be amazing is: “How long do carrots last?”
More...
Let’s start at the very beginning.
Proper hygiene is always necessary for ensuring we stay safe from foodborne illnesses. Larger carrots will tend to last longer than baby carrots.
This is because they have their protective skin which enabled the carrot to hold its nutrients. This also implies that peeled carrots will go bad faster than unpeeled ones.
Some of the notable characteristics of carrots that are going/ have gone bad are white dots called “white blush”. These dots appear on the surface and they result from dehydration.
It is also important to note that slimy and mushy carrots should not be eaten as they pose potential health hazards.
Carrots, like any other food, last a very short while if not stored properly.
Here is a table explaining how long different refrigerated carrots will last
Fresh Carrots (Whole) | 4 to 5 Weeks |
Baby Carrots | 3 to 4 Weeks |
Cooked Carrots | 1 Week |
Make sure you blanch them first. Blanching stops the activity of the enzymes that decay the carrots. These enzymes occur naturally in the carrot and it’s what helps them to grown and ripen. The enzymes continue acting even after harvest.
Freezing slows down the enzymatic action. Pre-treating the food kills these enzymes so as to disable the enzymes from acting on the food even when it’s frozen.
Steps to blanch carrots:
This video explains the process:
Here is the procedure:
This small video explains the process:
Canned carrots must be processed in a pressure canner. Do not can in a water bath canner. Here is how to can carrots
Here is a video explaining the procedure:
Carrots like many vegetables are very delicate. It is important to observe these procedures in order to make these carrots last longer as well as observe hygiene.
Enzymatic activity is what causes our carrots to rot during storage and therefore do not skip any of the steps to stop the enzymes.
Hello, I’m Laura Bennett. I love nature especially when it comes to flowers and different kinds of plants. I started a very small garden behind my house and I named it Humid Garden. So, I created this blog to provide aspiring and inspiring thoughts about gardening for gardeners and anyone who has the intention of keeping a garden.
A Gardener’s Guide to the Best Fall Vegetables
09 Jan, 2020The Benefits of a Cloche for Growing Your Own Vegetables
30 Jun, 2019Like It Hot? Grow These Peppers at Home
16 Apr, 2019How Vegetable Gardening Can Help Your Mental Health
17 Mar, 2019Learning How to Tell If A Pomegranate is Ripe to Pick