This is how my friend Abbey stores a large quantity of freshly picked apricots over the short term. She uses recycled egg cartons to prevent the fruit from touching, which she says decreases their chances for rot. Brilliant, don’t you think? And a great way to recycle egg cartons, too!
She had this recycled egg carton and fruit box system set up in her basement where it is dark and cool, which also contributes to a longer storage time.
I think this contraption would work with other soft fruit that is prone to bruising and rot, especially peaches and plums.
Looks like a great idea… BUT… and unfortunately it’s a big but…
Reusing egg cartons can be very dangerous to your health! This is especially true of the cardboard kind shown in the photo. There is no way to sterilize them. If you have access to NEW cartons, then this is a fine way to store them
If you check with your extension office, or online, you will find that any food safety groups, government agencies, universities, etc. all say do NOT reuse egg cartons, especially for food uses. I just can’t imagine eating an apricot that has been stored in an old egg carton! Apricots are not usually peeled, so any cross contamination is right on the skin, and you can’t very well scrub apricots like you hard fruits like apples.
(I store small Christmas ornaments in them, but you aren’t even supposed to do that!)
I’m looking into it. I believe in being careful, but within reason. After all, I can’t remember the last time I washed my hands directly after handling an egg (that too is recommended) and I probably cook with them everyday.
Great tip. I think this would work great picking and storing raspberries – going to give it a try! Not worried about egg contamination as I also never wash my hands after handling an egg carton.
I have used egg cartons for keeping green tomatoes separated in the fall too. It works pretty well for the large cherry/golf ball sized fruit.The only trick is to remember to check them frequently. One year I closed the cartons to stack more in a small space, forgot about them, and found a lovely moldy mess just before Christmas – yuck!
I make sure the cartons are not visibly dirty (i.e. no residue of an egg that cracked or chicken poop) and I wash the fruit before eating it. I’m pretty sure that I’m more likely to contract a food borne illness from mechanically tenderized meat which someone fails to cook to 165, pre-washed bagged salad mixes, or from eating fruit in the grocery store parking lot as a snack when it was potentially contaminated by a worker who didn’t wash their hands somewhere along the production line than from storing fruit in previously used egg cartons.