'VERY DANGEROUS': Expert warn against viral TikTok hack of making your avacados last longer
If you’ve been taken by the avocado hack on TikTok, then this may be bad news for you. The trick that was suggested In the video was to store your avocados in water - the clip is going viral and has fans in a frenzy, but it may not be the best option out there. This storage hack has seen a sudden rise in use because of the rising cost of the fruit itself. What with them costing a lot in pretty much every country, it makes sense for people to want their stock to last longer as well.
But experts have now warned that this storage hack, which is purported to make your avocados last longer, may cause fever, muscle aches and diarrhoea. An expert had talked about this trend and the possible pitfalls, saying, "When we came aware of this trend we saw that people were using this trick and that it was working for them. Submerging the avocado in water slows down the oxidisation process which causes your avocado to overripen. While it's clear that the hack does keep your avocados fresher for longer you shouldn't be using this social media hack as it is dangerous," said expert Scott Evans
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‘Very dangerous’
Researchers have empathized and said that they understood why the hack was gaining as much traction as it did, but have repeatedly mentioned that it was not going to be good for the consumer to do so. "We can appreciate why someone would go to these lengths to make their budget stretch further, but this hack is very dangerous and can cause serious health issues."
They also stated that it was worrying that the hack was working, which made it popular- thus taking this dangerous way of consuming the fruit to the masses. "The worry of this social media trend is that it does work, and the more that something works the more it is going to be shared on social media.”
What happens when you store avocados in water?
"When you submerge your avocados in the water you are creating an environment that allows human pathogens such as listeria and salmonella to thrive. These pathogens can be present on the surface of avocado and when put in water they can multiply,” they revealed, according to Daily Mail.
A nutritionist has also weighed in with his opinion, stating, "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.” Toby King then went on to add that, “Disinfecting the skin in this instance wouldn't help."
How to make avocadoes last longer?
The trick, according to experts, is to wrap up the fruit in cling film. Some have also sworn that storing the avocados along with onions will definitely help keep them around longer. However, the basic key to making sure they do not spoil is very simple - never buy too much and consume them within days of buying them.