Vegetables Most vegetables keep best in the crisper section of the refrigerator. Exceptions are identified below. Dry onions Store in loosely woven or open mesh bags at room temperature or slightly cooler temperatures. Do not refrigerate since lower temperatures may cause chilling injury. If these vegetables are kept at room temperature, plan to use them within 1 week.
Some fruits give off a gas during ripening called ethylene.
Exposure to ethylene can lower the quality of some fruits, vegetables and leafy greens. For example, it can cause yellowing of green vegetables and bitterness in carrots. This does not make the produce unsafe, just lower in quality. A good rule of thumb is to store vegetables and leafy items separately from fruit. To wash hands, follow the steps in the box below.