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The FDA is speaking out against a viral TikTok hack.
Users across the platform have posted videos that show how storing a cut avocado in water will keep it from going brown. While it may preserve the green color, the Food and Drug Administration is warning against the practice.
An FDA official told Good Morning America that storing in water can be unsafe due to bacterial contamination.
“The main concern is with the possibility that any residual human pathogens (i.e. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., etc.) that may be residing on the avocado surface may potentially multiply during the storage when submerged in water,” the official told the morning news outlet.
Even cleaning off the surface of the avocado before submerging it in water won’t help protect it from contamination.
“In addition, research performed by FDA scientists has shown that Listeria monocytogenes has the potential to infiltrate and internalize into the pulp of avocados when submerged in refrigerated dump tanks within 15 days during refrigerated storage,” the statement continued. “In this case, even surface disinfecting the avocado skin prior to slicing would not be able to remove the contamination.”
Doctors on TikTok are also weighing in on the viral hack. Dr. Erin Carter, a rheumatologist, also shared the news of the FDA’s disapproval of the unsafe trend.
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“Turns out this is not such a good idea,” she said. “Storing avocados this way can actually promote the growth of two different types of bacteria — Salmonella and Listeria — and can lead to poisoning with these bacteria. Infections with either of these bacteria are not pleasant. You really want to avoid them.”
According to the FDA, people infected with either type of bacteria can have gastrointestinal issues, such as diarrhea and nausea, and can also experience fevers.
In her video, Carter went on to confirm that just washing avocados before submerging in water does not fix the problem since the bacteria are powerful and “penetrate through the skin,” therefore multiplying in the flesh of the avocado.
The best way to store avocados is in a dry environment like the fridge or the counter, she said.
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