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Even though a I put plastic wrap over a bowl of guacamole, it seems it's never tight enough, and the top layer of the guacamole turns brown, which sometimes changes the taste.

Is there any way I can keep my guacamole from oxidising in the fridge?

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  • Welcome to LH, and thanks for bringing your question here (+1). Hope to see you around! :)
    – Shokhet
    Dec 28, 2014 at 18:04
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    You can't. See this question on Seasoned Advice, our sister site for cooking questions (where, to be honest, this question seems better suited): Browning Avocados - What Helps?
    – David Richerby
    Dec 28, 2014 at 22:21
  • Actually, you can. That answer on cooking.SE will be expanded today or tomorrow with 2 things that DO work, Vitamin C (in higher concentrations than found in Lemon or Lime) and propanethiol S-oxide gas, from diced onions; both can both keep guacamole green for hours or even days.
    – Jolenealaska
    Dec 28, 2014 at 22:51
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    OK. You can't until later today or tomorrow. ;-)
    – David Richerby
    Dec 28, 2014 at 23:06
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    @DavidRicherby It took me over a week. But it's done now.
    – Jolenealaska
    Jan 8, 2015 at 18:48

3 Answers 3

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As has been mentioned here (including a few times by me), this question has been discussed on Cooking.SE here.

Since I wrote that answer, I have done further experimentation and have found that adding Vitamin C in the concentration of 100mg to 50 grams of avocado will keep the avocado green for days, even exposed to air in a normal sealed tupperware and even in the face of lemon, lime, or vinegar; all of which speed the browning of avocados. The efficacy data of Vitamin C and propanethiol S-oxide gas, caused by diced onions, will be added to that answer.

EDIT I actually ended up writing a new answer after quite of back and forth about how best to handle it. So, it's a bit later than I had hoped, but it's here

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I'm sorry, but I have to contradict Cathie's answer:

Which acid works best to keep avocados from browning?

Answer: None (of the acids tested)

It's not that acid doesn't do much to help.

ALL OF THE ACIDS TESTED CAUSED AVOCADOS TO BECOME MORE BROWN AND TO BECOME BROWN FASTER THAN NO TREATMENT AT ALL

Source: An answer by Jolenealaska at cooking.SE.

The pit acts as a oxygen-barrier, not as a preservative. You could use wrapping film instead.

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    Whoops, Jolenealaska was actually faster than me :o
    – Ching Chong
    Dec 28, 2014 at 22:33
  • I was tipped off by @TomW in chat :)
    – Jolenealaska
    Dec 29, 2014 at 7:07
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Add more lime juice to the mix (or lemon if that is what you are using), and slick the surface of the guacamole with lime (or lemon) juice. But, however are you managing to not eat all of it?!

Some claim that placing the pit into guacamole prevents browning, because leaving the pit in a halved avocado does seem to be preservative. But I have not conducted a control-group experiment, so I don't vouch for that method. I might do that experiment soon though, because the results would be yummy no matter the outcome.

Edit: I assumed it was obvious that cling wrap would be used, because I cover everything I store in my fridge. The experiments that others are quoting do not use cling wrap, and one implausibly air-dried the avocado perhaps to speed the browning process. It's the interaction of lime and exclusion of air that reduces browning, and it does not reduce the browning for a long time. The longest I keep guacamole is a couple of hours between preparation and dinner or a party.

That said, my first take on the problem is: Just eat it.

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  • Welcome to LH, and thanks for your great answer! I didn't know that about guacamole, I'll have to try that sometime. I hope you stick around and enjoy the site!
    – Shokhet
    Dec 28, 2014 at 21:56
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    That would be a great answer if it actually worked. It's certainly the accepted wisdom. See cooking.stackexchange.com/questions/46494/… I have found some things that DO work, even despite lime juice for flavor, the answer I linked to will be expanded within a day or two. Lemon and lime juice actually speed browning. Vitamin C, in larger concentrations than found in lime or lemon juice is the key.
    – Jolenealaska
    Dec 28, 2014 at 22:28
  • That answer you quoted from another SE question did not use cling wrap. It's the interaction of lime juice and excluding air that works. The experimenter carefully air-dried the avocado pieces!!!! LOL, that totally defeated the effort.
    – Cathie Currie
    Dec 28, 2014 at 23:27
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    @CathieCurrie, yes it did, in the final picture. The addendum, which will be added within the next several hours, compared samples that were in air tight wrapping (no air) and in sealed tupperware. The lemon and lime speeds browning in all cases except in the presence of a high concentration of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Since the wrapping tightly retards browning so effectively, lemon or lime juice is moot when the sample is tightly wrapped. Without added C, ultimately the sealed sample browns without added C. With added C and sealed, the sample stays green over 5 days, with or without lime.
    – Jolenealaska
    Dec 29, 2014 at 3:06

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