We’re all trying new and innovative ways to try and ensure our fresh fruit and vegetables last longer.
Avocado is one such fruit that is very tricky to handle. As tasty as it is, it goes bad very quickly, so any trick that helps make it last longer is bound to go viral.
But this one TikTok hack that claims to keep avocados fresh for a longer period of time might do you more harm than good.
Specifically, it can give you poop a lot.
The trick in question asks people to submerge their avocados in cold water as it apparently slows down the oxidation process, ensuring it lasts longer.
And while this method can delay the avocado from browning, it also creates a hotspot for pathogens like listeria and salmonella to thrive, according to Scott Evans at Pink Storage Cardiff.
Both of these pathogens can make the consumer very ill and cause diarrhoea. Which is, I think, more than what most people are bargaining for when they bite into their avocado and toast.
Nutritionist and nutritional therapist Mays Al-Ali says that storing avocados in water gives bacteria the perfect environment to thrive.
“Storing them in water can cause bacteria to grow on the skin of the avocado — where they previously lived harmlessly pre submerging. Bacteria need water, right food and right temperature to grow, so storing avocado in water will feed the bad bacteria,” she explains.
Consuming foods with the listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, which can pose a big threat to babies, pregnant people, over 65s and anyone with a weak immune system, according to the NHS. It can also cause sepsis and meningitis.
Nutritionist Toby King has also warned that even if you wash your avocado before doing the water submerging trick, it will not save you from infections.
“Some social media users believe that they can disinfect the skins from these harmful pathogens. But listeria can infiltrate the pulp of the avocado when in storage. Disinfecting the skin in this instance wouldn’t help,” he says.
So what would be the best way to store an avocado without making yourself poop every few minutes?
“The best way is to sprinkle some lemon or lime juice on the cut avocado and then store in an airtight glass container (chemical free) in the fridge,” says Al-Ali.
Or if you’re using it in a smoothie, you can peel and chop the chunks and then freeze it to use whenever you want.
So unless you want to give yourself diarrhoea and poop constantly, it’s best to stay away from this avocado submerging hack. If not, you can try and regret all your life choices as you sit on that toilet bowl for the tenth time in a day. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!