# Stay fresh fruit storage

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 22, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951 "2008-08-22T18:43:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Great\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Great\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Dave)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951/1 "2008-08-22T18:43:13Z")

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So, like most old biology majors, I recall that ethylene gas causes fruit to ripen, and that’s the reason one bad apple can spoil a bushel. To combat this, fruit warehouses store theirs in a nitrogen atmosphere (that apple from NZ might be over a year old). Last night, I saw an ad for bags that are lined with a chemical that absorbs the ethylene, so that you can have snappy 18-day old carrots. Anyone know what that chemical might be, sos I can try a homemade version?

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**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951/2 "2008-08-22T18:53:24Z")

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Potassium permanganate?

> **[Potassium permanganate as an ethylene absorbent in polyethylene bags to delay...](https://www.publish.csiro.au/an/EA9700237)**
>
> Potassium permanganate reduced the concentration of ethylene and calcium hydroxide reduced the concentration of carbon dioxide in sealed polyethylene bags containing bananas. When the fruit that were not packed in sealed bags were ripe (16 days after...

IIRC the way it acts with glycerin, it’s not something I’d want around my apples or carrots.

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**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951/3 "2008-08-22T19:15:15Z")

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According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Meyer_Green_Bags), the bags are lined with an “Oya mineral form of [Zeolite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolite).”

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**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stay-fresh-fruit-storage/460951/4 "2008-08-22T19:22:27Z")

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(the post edit timed out before I could add this: )

They seem to work decently, but the only caveat is that any moisture or condensation that builds up inside the bag must be removed immediately or else the produce will actually spoil faster. The bag company recommends putting paper towels in there to absorb the moisture but I have to wonder if adding silica gel packets would be a better solution… Anyone know if that’s a viable option?