Gordon Ramsay shared a tip to stop potatoes and avocados from oxidising (Image: Getty)
Gordon Ramsay has revealed a simple tip to stop potatoes and avocados from turning brown.
Potatoes and avocados turn brown when peeled or cut because of a process called oxidation. This is completely safe to eat but can affect their appearance.
The starch in the potato comes into contact with oxygen in the air, causing a chemical reaction that results in a browning colour change. In the case of avocados and many other fruits, polyphenol oxidase changes the chemical structure of phenols when they’re exposed to oxygen.
Gordon Ramsay took to YouTube to share his best cooking tips, including one to prevent oxidation. He said: “A great tip for stopping potatoes, apples and avocados from going brown when cut is simply to cover them with water and a squeeze of lemon.
“The acidity stops the flesh from oxidizing which is what causes the color to change.”
The starch in a potato reacts with oxygen to brown (Image: Getty)
Lemon juice prevents oxidation because it contains citric acid, which acts as a natural antioxidant, effectively reacting with oxygen in the air before the fruit’s natural enzymes can, thus preventing browning and discolouration.
Lime juice and cranberry juice are just as effective as the acidic juice has to have a pH less than three.
Other tips shared by the chef, restauranteur and TV personality include how to properly cook rice, using spare herbs to infuse oil, and how to make the most of stale bread.
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He urged people to “never throw out vanilla pods”. Ramsay said: “There’s a ton of flavour left in the skin. Stick them inside jars of sugar and leave to infuse. The sugar’s great to sprinkle on cakes biscuits or porridge.”
The chef added a tip for using spare chillies: “Using string, tie together the stalks then simply hang them in your kitchen. In just a few weeks, you’ll get your very own dried chillies – great crumbled into dishes for adding heat on demand.
“Chilies are surprisingly versatile. If you love them in savoury dishes, my tip is to try adding them to melty chocolate ganache for chocolate chilli truffles or sprinkled over fresh fruit.”