When selecting and handling tomatoes follow these tips:

• Choose deep red colour tomatoes.
• Select a truss where the tomatoes at the top of the truss are a deep red colour and are descending in colour as they go down the truss.
• Make sure the tomato stems are still a vibrant and fresh green colour. The stem should not be dry as this indicates age.
• Tomatoes should be firm to touch and not too hard, they should not feel too soft as this means that they are over ripe.
• Do not store your tomatoes in the refrigerator as this delays the ripening process of the tomatoes and they loose their flavour. Tomatoes should always be stored at room temperature out of direct sunlight.
• Tomatoes should never be stored in the same bowl as bananas and apples. These fruits emit ethylene as they ripen which also causes tomatoes to ripen faster when exposed to it.

When selecting and handling mini cucumbers follow these tips:

• Choose mini cucumbers that are bright green in colour. They should not be yellow in colour as this indicates that they are over mature.
• Mini cucumbers should be firm and avoid mini cucumbers with wrinkled ends as this indicates old stock and it has started to dehydrate.
• Mini cucumbers should be stored in a plastic bag in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator to ensure that they stay fresher and crisper longer. If left at room temperature they will start to over ripen and loose their firmness.
• Mini cucumbers should never be stored with apples or citrus produce.  When these fruits ripen they emit ethylene which causes the quality of the mini cucumbers to deteriorate faster.

When handling and storing eggplants follow these tips:

• Eggplants can be stored without refrigeration for 1 to 2 days in a cool dry place.
• If eggplants are not eaten within 2 days, it should be refrigerated.To refrigerate, wrap eggplant in a paper towel and place in a reusable container or perforated plastic bag in the crisper section of your refrigerator for use within 5 to 7 days.
• Do not store eggplants with other fruits and vegetables that produce the gas ethylene such as apples and potatoes. This is because the gas can cause certain food to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly.