Simple steps to check the quality of fruits & vegetables in Online Grocery store

Introduction

The quantity of food adulteration accessible these days, especially in raw ingredients, makes purchasing high-quality food difficult, especially from online grocery stores.

Following multiple incidences of mortality caused by tainted food, the UN, in collaboration with WHO and FAO, has launched several campaigns for food safety. While fruits and vegetables, unlike most packaged foods, do not have an expiration date, there are some guidelines to follow in order to purchase high-quality produce.

Therefore it is essential to check the quality of fruits and vegetables when buying from online grocery stores- let us look into several steps to prevent and keep yourself healthy and safe.

Before you go out and buy fruits and vegetables from online grocery stores, there are a few things you should look for.

Make sure that you take a glance at the markings of high fibre and top quality that pertain to practically all foods before we get into the individual advice on assessing the characteristics of various varieties of fruits and veggies. These pointers are crucial to remember when inspecting the quality of fruits and vegetables purchased at the online grocery store.

Texture: The produce should have a hard surface with no knots or mushy patches.

Colour: Please ensure it’s a consistent hue with no areas or pigmentation.

Season: Consider purchasing fruits and vegetables that are in season. This will ensure the most significant outcomes. Off-season fruits and vegetables are more likely to have been cultivated with chemicals that aren’t high in nutrients.

Steps to Check the Quality of Different Fruits and Vegetables

Green veggies- Green leafy vegetables, such as mustard, spinach, leafy lettuce, garlic, mint, or cauliflower, should have a bright and crunchy appearance when purchased. It’s advisable to avoid them if they appear pale, yellowish, wilted, or browned, as they won’t last long.

Cabbage- Use caution when preparing this vegetable. It may look to be in a better situation on the surface, but it could be concealing a bug on the inside. Check for any holes in the cauliflower. If there are cracks in it, don’t buy it.

Roots- Look at the peel of root vegetables, including turnips, roots, sweet potatoes, beets, and others when seeking them. If the skin has cracks, don’t buy it. The skin should be wrinkle-free and silky.

Tomatoes- Tomatoes with a greenish stalk were not mature when picked but ripened after being pulled. As a result, it won’t have all of the elements.

It should be consistent and devoid of green spots. It’s preferable if the colour is more profound. It should have a strong fragrance. Pick something that is neither too harsh nor too gentle.

Cucumber- Choose the ones that are vivid green in colour. The better the colour, the darker it is.

On the top, there should be no gleam. It is stringy if the tip is wilted and dried. The greatest ones are those that are long and slender. Wrinkles, cracks, and bruises on the surface should be avoided.

Bell pepper- The larger ones will be juicier. Green and solid ought to be the colour of the tail. Please ensure there are no orange stains on it.

Fruits:

Apples: Choose apples that are medium in size. It should be weighty and robust. Avoid the shiny ones since they may be coated with wax or other substance to make them shiny.

Bananas: They ought to be light yellow in colour with a few tiny dark dots on them. If the marks are dark and large, don’t purchase them.

Plums: Aim for a uniform colour. Avoid purchasing those with crack formation, scratches, or discolouration. It should be thick and sweet-smelling.

Grapes: Hold the cluster of grapes up to test the grapes. The grapes are considered to be mature if some of them began to drop off the cluster.

Citrus fruits: Dark spots must be examined on citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.

Watermelon: Watermelon has a vast pale yellow mark on its top that is present on all watermelons. It’s known as the field place. The tastiest watermelons have a brilliant golden yellow spot. The flavour of watermelons with a whitish field patch is usually watery. Medium size watermelons are the perfect ones. Do no be in the notion the heavier they are, the better they are. Melons with an oval shape will be juicy, while those with a round shape will be delicious.

Pineapple:  The yummiest and crunchiest will be golden yellow in colour. The fruit is not yet mature if the leaves are too stiff. If they pull out too effortlessly, though, they are overripe. Ripe pineapples will compress a little. Although pineapples have a hard exterior, the mature ones will squish if you squeeze the base of the fruit just a little. A fragrant fragrance will emanate from the nice ones.

Cantaloupe: Look for breaks, moulds, soft patches, or other flaws on the top. Look for a different piece if it has a fault. Prevent the greenish varieties and go for the pale brown ones. On the interior, the nicest ones will be orange. The heavier you have, the merrier it is. Tap it with your ear next to it. The greatest ones will have a clicking sound.

Conclusion

To buy fresh fruits and veggies, it is essential to check the quality of produce as its quality will determine your health and eating habits. These steps will help you to buy perfect and fresh produce. So what are your waiting for? With these steps, you can easily shop for groceries through offline and online grocery store.

SOME FAQs

When we buy fruits and vegetables from an online Kirana store, it gets very difficult for us to identify whether they are organic or not? And If I consume organic and frozen fruit and vegetables how they will impact my health?

Question: Should we freeze fresh fruits and veggies for later use after buying from Kirana store?

Answer: Yes, but make sure to freeze cut-up fruits and veggies only. However, if you want to store the fruits to be as fresh as they were earlier when you purchased Kirana store then, those fruits need some ingredients such as (citric acid, sugar or lemon juice) to prevent browning and retain their quality. 

Question: What causes vegetables and fruits to become contaminated during storage and preparation?

Answer-Fruits and vegetables usually get contaminated when we touch uncleaned surfaces such as chopping boards, knives during preparation and storage.

Question: Why it is advised to wash the fruits properly before eating?

Answer: Washing fruit and vegetables before use is a healthful habit. When we wash fruits and vegetables, it keeps away dirt, pesticides and bacteria.

Question-Should we increase smoothies and juices as a substitute for fruits?

Answer: Smoothies and freshly squeezed fruits are quite popular among both adults and kids. People who are facing issues in chewing fresh fruits may prefer smoothies and juices. 

However, milk, processed sugar, and processed fruit juice, and protein powder can quickly drive caloric intake; thus, make sure to intake smoothies and juices in a balanced way.