Cucumbers wrapped in plastic…pros and cons

Do you remember the time when milk and other liquids were only sold in glass, and plastic packaging was rather rare? Well, that is not the case today, because almost everything is packed in plastic – and we even take our shopping home in a plastic bag. Take cucumbers for example. They too are dressed in a plastic… It is not environment friendly sure, but the logic behind it is strong. So let us take a closer look and explain why cucumbers are wrapped in plastic.

Potatoes and apples can do without plastic, but cucumbers cannot

Many fruits and vegetables can do without plastic wrap, so why is cucumber different? Well, to be honest cucumbers can do without plastic too and they would be even cheaper, but the question is how long can a cucumber remain fresh and edible without plastic? The answer is approximately 4 to 5 days.Not much, and statistics show that approximately one third of all food that we store for later consumption actually ends up in the trash.

Photo: Pixabay

So, how long does a cucumber last in plastic?

According to the Consumer Protection Association, the shelf life of fresh cucumber is around 14 days. If it is not wrapped in plastic, it would dry out and mold would spread much faster due to temperature differences. For us that means that wrapped cucumbers will last much longer in the fridge and we save money.So, you do not need to buy cucumbers for storage…

Photo: Pixabay

The burden on the environment is huge

You should also know that cucumbers contain a rather diverse cocktail of chemicals because they are grown in heated greenhouses – and production of heat requires a lot of fossil fuel. So, if cucumbers in plastic last longer, the carbon footprint goes down. Conclusion: if you can, get your cucumbers from your grandma’s garden or your own where you know how the cucumber was grown, get them.

Photo: Radek Štěpán

Preview photo: Radek Štěpán