Medically reviewed in July 2021
Updated on March 11, 2022
Pre-sliced fruit saves time, and any labor you can save in the kitchen goes a long way. But there are a couple of reasons why you may be better off buying whole fruit and taking those few minutes to slice it yourself.
For one thing, research shows that pre-sliced fruit may have less vitamin C by the time you eat it than if you'd bought whole fruit and sliced it yourself.
Kiwifruit, pineapple, and cantaloupe are particularly prone to vitamin C loss, research shows.
In addition, pre-sliced fruit may contain germs from the peel or rind, or from a contaminated knife or cutting board at the store. Many cases of food poisoning, including Salmonella, have been linked to pre-sliced fruit. On the other hand, if you buy the fruit yourself, you can wash the rind yourself and as ensure you’re using clean utensils.
Another melon tip
Speaking of melon, if you buy watermelon, store it uncut at room temperature. That way, the fruit’s levels of the healthful plant compounds beta-carotene and lycopene go up. Refrigeration halts this process.
