Tata Chemicals Limited

The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced eggplant (known as "degorging") can soften and remove much of the bitterness.

Nutritional Information:
Eating Brinjals roasted on fire after putting some salt into it cures excessive phlegm and wind humor of the body. Brinjals are high on fats and potassium.

How to Store:
The fruits can be stored for 1-2 days in summer and 3-4 days in winter season provided they are kept in shade under ordinary conditions. In cold storage, the fruits are stored for 7-10 days at a temperature of 7-10°C with 85-95% relative humidity.

Cabbage is round in shape with layers of superimposed leaves with the inner leaves often lighter in color than the outer leaves because they are protected from the sunlight.

Nutritional Information:
Rich source of Vitamin K and C and good in dietary fibre.

How to Store:
5-8°C is an appropriate temperature range for keeping cabbage chilled in order to preserve its quality. Keeping the cabbage cold will also help to retain its vitamin C content.

Cauliflower has the milk, sweet, almost nutty flavor. It's compact head (called a "curd"), usually about six inches in diameter that is composed of undeveloped flower buds. The flowers are attached to a central stalk.

Nutritional Information:
Rich source of Vitamin C , K and dietary fibre.

How to Store:
Store cauliflower in the refrigerate (5-8 degree Celcius), where it will keep for up to five days.

Okra is also known as Ladies Fingers or Bhindi (in Hindi). It blends well with other vegetables such as tomatoes, chilli peppers, spinach, mushrooms and exudes a sticky juice which when added to any liquid will thicken it. This vegetable does not only offer a superb taste, but also is nutritious and medicinal.

Nutritional Information:
Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

How to Store:
Okra may be stored in the refrigerator in a paper bag or wrapped in a paper towel in a perforated plastic bag for 2 to 3 days.

Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes. Onions come in a wide range of colors, shapes and flavors. When cooked, onions will become translucent.

Nutritional Information:
Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. With only 45 calories per serving, onions are fat and cholesterol free, very low in sodium, high in vitamin C, and a good source of fiber.

How to Store:
Whole onions should be stored in cool dry, and dark place. The sunlight can make the onions taste bitter. The onions easily absorb moisture, making them mushy.

Pea is a frost-hardy, cool-season vegetable. The wrinkled-seeded varieties are generally sweeter and usually preferred for home use.

Nutritional Information:
Peas are a valuable source of protein, iron and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber helps to reduce serum cholesterol.

How to Store:
Fresh peas keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigeration.

Potato is considered as the 'king' in food staples and hardly any domestic kitchen is available where it is not used in routine in one form or the other.

Nutritional information:
Nutritionally, potatoes are best known for their carbohydrate content. The resistant starch is considered to have similar physiological effects and health benefits of fiber.

How to Store:
Storage facilities need to be carefully designed to keep the potatoes alive and slow the natural process of decomposition, which involves the breakdown of starch. It is crucial that the storage area is dark, well ventilated and for long-term storage maintained at temperatures near 4°C.

Tomatoes are often picked unripe (and thus green) and ripened in storage with ethylene. Ethylene is a hydrocarbon gas produced by many fruits that acts as the molecular cue to begin the ripening process.

Nutritional Information:
Low in Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Cholesterol High in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Manganese, Vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper.

How to Store:
Put unripe tomatoes in a brown paper bag and leave them at room temperature until they ripen, usually in a day or two. Store ripe tomatoes in a cool place. Stored this way, they should keep for five days. Avoid refrigerating tomatoes.