Grocery store owners spray fresh fruits and vegetables with water?

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SUMMARY

Grocery store owners spray fresh fruits and vegetables with water to prevent wilting, as harvested produce cannot replace lost moisture. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce and spinach wilt rapidly, while waxy-skinned vegetables like cabbage and fruits such as cucumbers and apples wilt more slowly. The water spray helps maintain the water balance that is crucial for keeping produce firm and fresh. In contrast, vegetables like potatoes and onions have skins that effectively reduce water loss, eliminating the need for spraying.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of plant biology and water balance
  • Knowledge of produce types and their moisture retention properties
  • Familiarity with grocery store operations and produce handling
  • Awareness of post-harvest technology and its impact on freshness
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of humidity on produce freshness
  • Learn about post-harvest treatments for fruits and vegetables
  • Explore methods for optimizing produce display in grocery stores
  • Investigate the role of temperature in maintaining produce quality
USEFUL FOR

Grocery store owners, produce managers, agricultural scientists, and anyone involved in the retail of fresh fruits and vegetables.

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Why do grocery store owners spray fresh fruits and vegetables with water?
 
Biology news on Phys.org
To keep them from wilting.

"In nature plants maintain a water balance by constantly replacing water
lost to the atmosphere by water absorbed by the roots. If water loss
exceeds water replacement, the plant wilts. Harvested produce, whole to
partial plants, have no means of replacing water lost and they quickly
wilt. Leafy vegetables like lettuce & spinach would wilt fastest. Waxy
skinned vegetables like cabbage and fruits like cucumber and apples will
wilt most slowly. To keep produce firm and fresh, they are sprayed with
water. Vegetables like potatoes and onions have skins that retard water
loss so well they don't need spraying."

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/oct2001/1002742842.Gb.r.html
 
Last edited:

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