Soursop is a tropical fruit that’s not as popular as mangoes or bananas. This fruit has a combination of sweet and sour flavors. Those who enjoy eating them will find them plentiful in the supermarket in the summer months. These fruits don’t last very long once it’s harvested. For that reason, most people will want to know how long soursop last.
So how long does soursop last? Fresh soursop will ripen quickly once it’s harvested. After it’s riped, they will last 1-2 days at room temperature. To keep them fresh longer, store them in the fridge and they will last for up to 4 days. To keep it even longer, soursop can be frozen and it will last several months.
Soursop Shelf Life
| Room Temperature | Refrigerator | Freezer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Soursop | 1-2 Days Once Ripe | 3-4 Days Once Ripe | N/A |
| Cut Soursop | 5-6 Hours Once Ripe | 2-4 Days Once Ripe | N/A |
| Puree or Pulp | N/A | N/A | 6 Months |
How Long Does Soursop Last?
At room temperature, once the soursop is riped, it will last for about 1-2 days. Keeping them longer will cause them to go brown and spoil.
In the fridge, if soursop hasn’t been cut yet, it can last for up to 4 days. Make sure it’s riped first before storing them in the fridge. Storing unripe soursop in the fridge will slow down the ripening process. This will cause the fruit to have a tart taste and the pulp will be very tough and grainy.
In the freezer, soursop can last for up to 3 months. The whole soursop can’t be stored in the freezer, only the pulp can be.
Can Soursop Go Bad?
Like any other fruit, soursop will go bad. When it’s unripe, the fruit will be hard when trying to squeeze it. As it starts to ripen, it will become softer.
Soursop will continue to ripen until it goes bad. This can be from a couple of days to a week. The warm temperature will speed up the ripening process of the fruit. In order to keep them from going bad too quickly, you’ll need to store them in the fridge.
How To Tell When Soursop Is Bad?
Soursop will show signs when it’s bad. There are a couple of things to look for:
Appearance – This fruit will ripen and begins to become soft. This is when it’s best to eat them. If they continue to ripen further, the skin will become mushy and turn brown.
Also, look for browning on the skin. If there are just a couple of small dark spots on the skin, you can cut the damaged area out and eat the rest of the fruit. However, if there are dark spots all over the fruit, it’s best to throw it away.
As for the inside of the soursop fruit, the flesh will become soggy and watery. If you open the fruit and see this, discard the entire fruit.
Smell – The smell of a soursop fruit when it goes bad is a sour rotting smell. It will give off a smell that’s enough to make you turn your head away. Discard the fruit if it smells anything other than a light sweet smell.
How To Store Soursop
At room temperature, you can leave them in a basket and set them on the countertop. Avoid keeping them in direct sunlight or next to a heat source. This will prematurely ripen the fruit and cause them to lose their taste.
Once it’s riped, it will become soft and you should only keep them out for a day or so if you’re planning to eat them. Otherwise, store the fruit in the refrigerator.
In the fridge, you can either store them as a whole or cut fruit. If storing the soursop fruit as a whole, you don’t need to put them into any container. Simply place the fruit on the shelves of the fridge or in the crisp drawer.
When storing them in the fridge, avoid keeping them close to other ethylene producing fruits such as apples, bananas, and avocados. These fruits contain ethylene which will cause the soursop to ripen prematurely.
For cut soursop, place them into an airtight container. This will prevent moisture loss and prevent air from oxidating the flesh and causing it to go bad.
Can You Freeze Soursop?
To keep the fruit for longer than a week, you can freeze soursop. However, only the pulp can be frozen. If you try to freeze the entire fruit, it will become soft and soggy when it thaw. Also, the rind will stick to the flesh, which will make it hard to separate from each other.
Therefore, to prevent any issues when it thaws, it’s recommended to freeze just the pulp. You can either freeze just the pulp or freeze it as a puree.
How To Keep Soursop Fresh Longer
Soursop is a very delicate fruit that should be handled with care. This is especially true when it’s riped as it will become very soft and the skin will easily tear open. If it does, the air will start to oxidize the flesh and cause it to go bad.
Buying Soursop
Before buying the fruit, check them for the best quality. This will ensure it will last as long as possible. Pick soursop that is firm without any cut or tears in the skin. If there are any, avoid buying it since the fruit may be bad.
It’s best to buy unripe soursop and let it ripen on your countertop at home. However, if you’re planning to eat soursop within a day or so, you can buy those that are riped. Again, make sure there are no cuts on the skin of the fruit.
Related Questions
Can you freeze soursop juice?
Yes, you can freeze soursop juice. Make sure to remove the juice from their original container first and transfer it airtight container. If you try to freeze it in the container it came with, due to the extremely cold temperature, the container will break apart.