Keeping Avocados In Water Is Not A Hack, It's Dangerous

If you ever microwaved tortillas in a glass cup or kept sour candy in the freezer, you likely have TikTok to thank for that. Over the years, the social media app has birthed many time-saving kitchen hacks, and yummy (and sometimes questionable) food mash-ups.

Some such hacks have gone viral beyond the app. One particular avocado hack has gotten attention, but for all the wrong reasons. Avocados are great in guacamole and on toasts, but the fruit's short shelf life can be a nuisance when a recipe doesn't call for a whole avocado. A viral hack from TikTok user @sidneyraz claimed keeping cut avocado in water can help them stay ripe longer. The TikTok video has amassed 4.6 million views, and features the user submerging half an avocado in a tub overnight. The next day, the avocado still appeared to be green and ripe. However as the hack has become a viral sensation, the Food and Drug Administration is warning people against it.

Though this avocado hack does seemingly work, the FDA warned the hack may potentially be dangerous, adding that it "does not recommend this practice," according to Good Morning America. The agency said submerging avocados in water increases the risk of "human pathogens," such as listeria and salmonella that could be present in avocados that were in prolonged contact with water. Listeria and salmonella are food-borne illnesses that can cause nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

In fact, the FDA conducted research on the matter and found that listeria has the potential to appear in avocados that were stored in "refrigerated dump tanks within 15 days during refrigerated storage." The agency also conducted studies of pathogen contamination in avocados. Though the FDA warned against submerging the fruit in water, it advises consumers to wash it thoroughly before eating, cutting, and cooking in order to prevent bacterial contamination and food poisoning.

While avocados can ripen and brown in what feels like seconds, there are ways to slow down the process without risking food poisoning. Try keeping sliced avocados with cut onions, according to All Recipes.com. The vapors from the onions may keep avocados from browning. If you don't have onions or don't want to cut onions for the sake of green avocados, squeeze lemon juice onto the flesh of the avocado. The lemon's acidity lowers the avocado's pH and helps slow down the browning process. You can also slow down browning by coating the avocado with a neutral cooking oil. Keeping avocados in an air-tight container or wrapping them with plastic or aluminum foil also prevents browning.

If all else fails, just know the browning process is natural. Avocados brown due to oxidation — the avocado's flesh has an enzyme that reacts with oxygen, which turns the flesh brown. While it may be unappealing, brown avocados are completely safe to eat.