Gentle Handling: When picking tomatoes, use gentle hands to avoid bruising the fruits. Bruised tomatoes spoil faster.
Sorting: Separate the tomatoes based on ripeness and quality. Keep damaged or overripe ones apart to prevent them from affecting the good ones.
Cleaning: Remove any dirt or debris, but avoid washing them until you are ready to use them. Excess moisture can lead to decay.
Storing: Place tomatoes in a single layer, stem-side down, in a cool, dry place. Ideally, keep them at room temperature if they need to ripen further.
Refrigeration: Once fully ripe, you can store tomatoes in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life, but bring them back to room temperature before consuming for the best flavor.
Avoid Stacking: Stacking tomatoes can cause bruising and pressure damage. Always store them in a single layer if possible.
Using Quickly: For tomatoes that are fully ripe, try to use them as soon as possible to enjoy their peak flavor and nutritional value.