Cauliflower Stays Fresh For A Week Without Getting Mushy, Unless It's Stored With This Common Fruit - Tasting Table

"You may have heard warnings about apples and other produce before, and that has to do with ethylene. It's a gas that is released by some fruit in storage. Specifically fruits produce ethylene to trigger the ripening process, and continue to produce it as they ripen. Most fruits that produce ethylene, like apples, pears, and tomatoes, are sensitive to it, so they can accelerate ripening in one another."

"However, some fruits and vegetables don't naturally produce ethylene on their own, but are sensitive to it anyway. Cauliflower is one of those, and is actually quite high in sensitivity, which means ethylene will cause it to start breaking down far faster than it naturally would. And of all the fruits that produce ethylene while ripening after being picked, apples produce the most."

"While apples are the worst option to store cauliflower with, they aren't the only fruit you should look out for. Anything that produces ethylene, like the aforementioned pears and tomatoes, is going to hasten the ripening process and cause cauliflower to go bad quicker. Other fruits that produce a high amount of ethylene and should not be stored with cauliflower include peaches, nectarines, avocados, cantaloupe,"

Whole cauliflower can last up to two weeks when stored properly. Storage longevity depends on factors beyond temperature and sunlight, including which other produce is nearby. Ethylene is a ripening gas released by some fruits in storage; fruits like apples, pears, and tomatoes emit ethylene and can accelerate ripening in nearby produce. Cauliflower does not produce ethylene but is highly sensitive to it, causing accelerated breakdown when exposed. Apples produce more ethylene than most other fruits, making them especially damaging to cauliflower. Other high-ethylene fruits to avoid storing with cauliflower include peaches, nectarines, avocados, and cantaloupe.

Read at Tasting Table