How Agri Keeps It Fresh In the Summer

Summer is the best season of all for produce — at least in the Northern Hemisphere! It’s time for gold bar squash, squash blossoms, local peaches, runner beans, local heirloom tomatoes, and maybe some Mexican items we carry, like dried Arbol, Ancho, and Guajillo peppers. And, of course, corn on the cob.

 

Agri takes special care of these summer delights with our refrigerated, temperature-controlled delivery trucks. This is perhaps the most important part of delivering produce. We carefully maintain our trucks to ensure that your produce stays at the perfect temperature — from the time we pick it up to the time you get it.

 

So, how do you keep it fresh once we deliver it to you? Spoiled produce can affect the profits of your business. It’s all in how you store it. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

 

Keep the Refrigerator Clean

Apart from making sure your fridge or walk-in is functioning at the recommended temperature, keeping it free of spills and leakage can help preserve fresh produce for an extended period. Spills and spoiled food can also cause the neighboring fresh food to degrade more quickly. So, make sure you regularly clean the refrigerator before storing new produce.

 

Wrap Leafy Produce

This not only increases its lifespan but also maintains its fresh flavor. Wash your leafy vegetables and herbs, allow them to dry, wrap them in damp towels, and then store in the refrigerator.

 

Freezing

Some fresh produce, like mushrooms, bell peppers, green beans, and eggplants, can expire quickly. Before that happens, simply chop ripe vegetables and fruits, blanch them in hot water, and store them in the freezer.

 

Some Things Shouldn’t Be Refrigerated

Tomatoes get mealy, potatoes lose their starchiness, and the natural flavors of both are ruined. Just keep them in a cool and dry place, and they will last up to a week. Citrus fruits and watermelon don’t need to be refrigerated either, which helps free up space for the produce that does.

 

We hope you’ll be preparing some wonderful dishes with our seasonal Agri produce. Or perhaps you’ll create a new summer cocktail! Let us know.