http://www.care2.com/greenliving/do-greenbags-work-to-preserve-produce.html
Do GreenBags Work to Preserve Produce?
Dear Annie,
I’ve been buying Debbie Meyer GreenBags (Formerly EvertFresh) and really love them, but is the claim that produce can last 10 times longer if stored in these bags true? How? And should I worry that the bags are made of plastic? –Lauren, NJ
Dear Lauren,
GreenBags and other similar products contain a form of zeolite, a hydrated aluminosilicate mineral that absorbs and neutralizes ethylene gas that is released by the food. The bags are a polyethylene plastic, considered one of the safer plastics because it doesn’t have Bisphyenol A, but a plastic nonetheless. (Never microwave these bags.)
The theory is that if you put totally dry produce in the bags the produce will last a long time (10 times longer) because the ethylene gas that causes produce to spoil is removed as it is emitted.
The design of the bags is a mimic of a successful natural food storage method used by the Japanese where produce is put in dark, cool, and dry caves made of this form of zeolite. I know about zeolite and feel fine about its safety for this purpose, and think that if you use baggies anyway, e.g. plastic storage, these bags will be a decent choice (although much more ideal once they make a biodegradable plastic). You can reuse the bags around 10 times.
A plastic-free alternative is to buy special disks to put into your crisper drawer. They also absorb and neutralizes ethylene gas and this technique has been used for years by florists as well as produce distributors.
Don’t confuse GreenBags and their counterparts with Rubbermaid and Tupperware products that are designed to circulate air in a way that extends the shelf-life of produce.
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31 comments
add your comment »They actually last past 10 uses with care washing & rinsing. I've found the main problem is that produce is overly wet from the 'misting' in the stores (my pet peeve!). I dry the excess water from produce before placing them in bags. Also be sure to not close them or fold over the tops as trapped gasses will counter the bag's effect. I've had the same set of bags for over 5 years and going strong!
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I have not had much luck with the green bags either; they seem to trap moisture. Other tips in the article about keeping vegies fresh are good, however.
I also found some "green" containers: Gourmet Trends "Always Fresh" plastic storage containers that work great for cooked leftovers!
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I think the bags are great! I get weekly deliveries from a local farmer. I wash and spin dry all the greens and put them in the green bags. They will last forever! (at least two weeks)
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I agree with the negative comments esp. the ones stating that items placed in the green bags seemed to ripen faster; MAY have looked good on the outside but were rotting or overripe on the inside. I had purchased mine but not paid for them yet so I returned them with a statement of my dissatisfaction. Faith Riley
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I am so surprised to hear all of these negative comments. I have been using these bags for over a year now and I love them! I am a vegan so my fridge is packed with fruit and veggies. The bags keep everything fresh so I rarely throw anything out anymore. Bananas keep for 2 weeks! To me they are well worth the cost.
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It was a waste of money for me. I put dry produce in the bags, but little water droplets formed on the bags anyhow. I tried drying the veggies again AND drying the inside of the bag, and the result was moldy food in a week. So I'll use the green bags for storage until they're gone, and not buy them again.
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These bags didn't work and were a dissappointing loss of $10.00. I will never waste my money on these again and will not recommend them to anyone.
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they work fine for me, have no complaints...and i take them with me to the market in my reusable shopping bags so I can bag my veggies without using one from the store!
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If you want to keep your veggies like lettuce and broccoli super long and crispy store them in heavy damp lint free kitchen towel the cloth lets gases escape and the moisture keeps the plants cells full not limp and saggy i keep romain for 2-3 weeks :)
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I bought these bags and think they are useless and a waste of $9.99. I found that broccoli and cauliflower turned brown and lettuce rotted almost over night. I think they are a waste and I would not buy them again.
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