Does Kiwi Go Bad? How Long Does It Last?

by Editorial Staff | Updated on August 3rd, 2022

Kiwis are delicious when freshly picked, but they can also be frozen, dried, or canned to maintain their deliciousness.

Or perhaps you suspect that your hard-to-the-touch kiwifruit has gone rotten but want to be certain.

You’re seeking information about kiwifruit storage rules, shelf life, and rotting symptoms. And that is exactly what this post is about.

How Long Will Kiwi Last?

When it comes to storage times, they are greatly dependent on where you keep the fruit and whether or not it is ripe.

An underripe kiwi ripens slowly at room temperature for two days to a week. Everything depends on how long it was kept at the supermarket.

Once ripe, it lasts several days at room temperature (if stored alone) and lasts up to four weeks in the fridge.

In other words, kiwis can keep in the refrigerator for a long time, and you should be able to consume them all before they go bad.

How Long Can Kiwis Survive Outside?

Fresh kiwi fruit can stay up to six days outside of an appliance, depending on how ripe they are when purchased and where they are stored, as the shelf life of kiwi is affected by both.

Kiwis continue to ripen after being plucked, and it can take up to a week for an unripe kiwi to develop; therefore, a severely unripe kiwi can potentially survive for over two weeks before turning rotten.

Here are several methods for controlling the ripening process: speeding it up to make unripe kiwi mature quicker or slowing it down to make ripe kiwi live a bit longer.

How Long Will Kiwis Last in the Fridge?

Kiwi fruit may stay up to four weeks in the refrigerator before going bad because the coolness of the fridge slows down the aging and ripening process, allowing the fruit to last longer.

While this helps ripe fruit stay far longer than usual, it can also harm unripe fruit by preventing kiwis from completely maturing, leaving them hard, bitter, and bristly.

You should only keep mature kiwis in the refrigerator to avoid spoiling any unripe kiwis before they fully grow, so always check your kiwis before refrigerating them.

How Long Will Kiwis Last in the Freezer?

Kiwis may be preserved in the freezer for up to a year if properly stored; otherwise, they can go bad on days, just like in the pantry.

The intense cold of a freezer can put the aging process of kiwis to a halt, but it can also inflict significant damage to the fruit, causing it to spoil much quicker.

It is critical to keep only ripe kiwis in the refrigerator and never entire since unripe; whole kiwis are more prone to suffer from the intense cold and turn rotten.

One thing to remember is that refrigerating an overripe kiwifruit will not assist much.

True, the low temperature will halt further deterioration, but the harm has already been done. It’s preferable to consume it straight away (if it’s still edible) or throws it away.

Concerning whether or not the fruit is still safe to eat…

Is it necessary to have the Last kiwis refrigerated?

Should kiwi be refrigerated? You should refrigerate your kiwi if it is already ripe and you don’t want it to ripen anymore or if you don’t expect to consume it for a few days.

Kiwi will continue to mature as long as it is at room temperature or warmer, so once your fruit is ripe, place it in the fridge to prevent it from becoming overripe before eating.

How Can You Tell If a Kiwi Is Bad?

Examining whether kiwifruit is spoiled is the same as checking any other fruit or vegetable. Keep an eye out for:

• Texture has been altered. If the fruit becomes too soft, mushy, or begins to drip, discard it.
• Unpleasant odor. Get rid of it if it smells somewhat acidic rather than lemony. Please keep in mind that this is extremely unusual.
• Spots of darkness If only the skin gets discolored, that’s typically fine because you’ll cut it out anyhow. However, if the pulp begins to darken, it’s time to throw it out. Or you may do what we do with most vegetables, take out the off section (and then some), and eat the remainder. If you choose the latter option, you do so at your own risk.

Is the kiwi susceptible to disease?

Kiwifruit is preyed upon by a variety of animals. Different kiwi-unfriendly conditions will typically have varying consequences on the Kiwi plant. For example, if the temperature at which it is cultivated falls to -8 degrees Celsius or below, its development will be slowed.

The pH of the soil in which the Kiwi plant develops is also an important component to consider. For a high-quality crop, the soil’s PH should be between 5.5 and 6.0. Outside range, the vine will suffer serious physical damage and a reduced output volume.

Fungal infections, such as Armillaria root rot, are also caused by poorly draining soil.

Bacteria frequently make their way into the vine and fruit, creating a condition known as Bacteria Blight. An injury frequently causes this from a cut or an unintentional bruising on the vine.

Fortunately, the symptoms induced by each are easily identified. Typically, the diseased vine will show obvious changes in appearance. With just a little help from a professional, you’ll be able to handle similar issues on your own in the future.

What exactly is Kiwi?

The kiwifruit is a fuzzy brown fruit indigenous to Southeast Asia. The green center of this fruit is wonderfully sweet and has vitamin C.

Shiny edible black seeds dot the insides to give kiwis their characteristic appearance. Kiwis have typically eaten alone or in jams and jellies. They may also provide a punch of vivid green color to fruit salad.

Kiwi Health Benefits

Because of its high nutritional content, kiwifruit provides several health advantages. This little fruit is high in vitamins and antioxidants, which help protect your cells from free radical damage.

Kiwis’ rich vitamin C content may even assist asthma patients in enhancing their lung health. Vitamin C also strengthens your immune system and may lower your risk of cold-like disorders.

When ingested regularly, certain bioactive compounds in kiwi may help decrease blood pressure and minimize clotting. A high zeaxanthin and lutein content can also help protect the eyes from macular degeneration.

How to Select a Kiwi

The best way to store kiwi fruit comes with selecting the proper fruits, to begin with. Your storage choices are limited if your kiwi is towards the end of its life when you leave the shop with it.

However, if you pick kiwis that aren’t quite ripe yet, you may keep them for up to a week or longer if you follow our simple guidelines.

If you’re buying in quantity, look for kiwi fruits that are still firm since they’ll still be a little immature. They will keep fresher for longer and continue to mature over time.

However, pick a few that are soft and ripe so that you may eat them straight away.

Choose a kiwi that is already mushy and hence ripe if you are only buying a handful to consume right away.

While size does not affect the flavor or quality of kiwi fruit, you should constantly check for blemishes and gently test for bruises. Wrinkles are an indication of an aging kiwi and should be avoided.

How to tell if kiwi is ripe

In comparison to other fruits, kiwi takes longer to mature. How can we tell the difference between ripe and unripe bananas? Grab it in your palm and push it firmly; if it feels hard to you, it is under-ripe; if it feels juicy and squishy like a tomato (regardless of its hairy texture), it is most likely torn.

If you consume unripe Kiwi, it will have a sour and strange flavor.

How To store Kiwi

Before we discuss kiwifruit storage alternatives (or kiwi, for short), we must first discuss ripeness. Unripe kiwifruit is commonly plucked to provide sufficient time for them to reach shops.

What you should know is that under-ripe kiwi is firm to the touch and not yet ready to eat.

That says your hard kiwi isn’t awful; it’s not ripe. When the fruit ripens, it yields slightly when gently squeezed between your palms.

Unripe kiwis can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

The first technique is ideal if you want to extend its shelf life for months, as many kiwi merchants do. However, if you bought the kiwis to eat them, keep them at room temperature to ripen.

Place the fruit in a vented plastic bag or container with an ethylene-producing fruit, such as an apple or banana, to hasten the ripening process. It should be ready in a day or two.

Once the kiwi is mature, it may be stored at room temperature or refrigerated.

The former is ideal if you want to consume it within a couple of days, while the latter is ideal if you are unsure when you will eat it. However, if you leave it on the counter, be sure it is not in direct sunlight.

Ethylene-producing fruits aid in the ripening of kiwifruit, but this can be a double-edged sword because they also shorten the storage duration of mature kiwis. In other words, it’s preferable to keep mature kiwi on their own and keep an eye on those that you rapidly ripen with ethylene.

Can you freeze kiwi?

The texture and structure of kiwifruit do not lend themselves well to freezing. When you defrost them, their flesh will become mushy and deeper green. However, if you’re determined, you can freeze kiwifruit forever; however, the sooner you consume it, the better.

How to freeze kiwi

First, slice or scoop the kiwis with a melon baller; do not freeze them whole.

• First, make sure the kiwis are ripe. Wash them with water when they’ve ripened to your liking.
• Allow it to rest and dry for a few minutes on a dry paper towel, or place it in a basket to drip dry.
• Cut the ends of the kiwifruit using a sharp knife; do not freeze them whole.
• Remove the peel from the kiwis and chop them in half or to your desired size.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the kiwi slices on the baking paper in an equal layer.
• Place the kiwi tray in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
• Once frozen, immediately transfer the kiwi to an airtight freezer bag. This will keep the kiwis from melting and sticking together in the freezer.

Advantages and disadvantages of freezing kiwi

While freezing kiwi keeps it fresher for longer, it also has several drawbacks that may alter how you utilize it in the future, as mentioned below:

When kiwi is thawed, it gets mushy: Using frozen kiwi limits your options for different meals. Because of its mushiness, it can only be used in smoothies and other blending-required dishes.

Time-consuming: Although smoothies are best served cold, a small amount of thawing is required to avoid overworking the blender or kitchen juicer. However, because thawing takes time, you should always begin your preparations earlier than usual.

Editorial Staff

Our writers, editors, content managers, and SEO specialist. We all take part in crafting amazing articles. We spend hours ensuring that each article is based on facts, researched, and thorough. You'll never want to click the back button to look for more answers other than here!