Many cooks look upon the crisper as a feature, not as a basic function like the appliance's freezer and main section. The crisper is designed to retain moisture. Without one, you would have to store fruits and vegetables that need refrigeration in the appliance's main section. That would be unfortunately, because the main section is notorious for dehydrating foods, particularly fruits and vegetables with high water content. The resulting cellular water loss shrinks the produce and severely shortens its storage life.

To extend the storage life even more, insert and seal a fruit or vegetable in a plastic bag before placing it in the crisper. Be sure to pierce the bag in a number of areas to allow air to circulate between the bag and the crisper. Otherwise, excess surface moisture could form on the produce, hastening bacterial activity.

A crisper serves another important function. It prevents the assertive odors of some fruits and vegetables from scenting lightly wrapped foods stored in the refrigerator's main section.

** Asian Recipes **