Eli5 If plants can stay alive fine outside in 40° weather, then why do we need to refrigerate vegetables?
In: Earth Science
They aren’t still “alive” once you pull them out of the ground, so the refrigerator slows the decay process
Because they are no longer alive, really. You killed them when you harvested them and they will soon begin the process of decay.
They are usually severed from the root system, which is their primary way of getting water and nutrients. It would pretty much be equal to removing an animals stomach
vegetables are not living. They are severed parts of a living being (the plant). It’s the same as you being fine at 40° weather but your severed fingers rotting really really fast. Living things can maintain their systems and organs. Severed appendages of the being cannot.
alive plants are constantly maintaining themselves and fighting off the microorganisms eating them. Dead plants are constantly breaking down and being eaten. Cold temperatures slow down the things that eat them and maybe slow down the non-eating breakdown as well
A plant is alive. It has a source of light, food, and water. A vegetable pulled from a plant is now in the process of dying and decomposing.
It’s like asking why a human is fine in any weather, but if you cut your arm off, why does it start to stink after a few days.
This is the exact same thing as asking “if a bird can live outside at 40 degrees, why do I have to refrigerate this boneless chicken breast?!”
Plants outside have root systems, leaves for respiration, water circulating. Vegetables, once’s taken from the plant, barely have any life processes, they are slowly dying/dead
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For the same reason cows can stay alive fine outside in 40c but you need to refrigerate meat.
You don’t refrigerate vegetables to keep them alive. Vegetables (the ones you buy in the supermarket) are dead and need to be refrigerated to avoid rotting.
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