Fruit and vegetables can be eaten up to 10 weeks after their "best before" dates if they are kept in the fridge, research has found.

       An analysis by the food waste charity WRAP found that a few simple changes could save 14 million shopping baskets worth of food from going to waste.

       It said that fresh produce should be stored below 5 degrees Celsius to help it last longer. Fruit and vegetables should also be sold loose so that consumers only buy the amount of produce they need, and "best before" labels should be removed unless necessary.

       "This saving comes from both enabling people to buy the right amount for their needs and to use their judgement to decide when items are still good to eat," the report said.

       "While most supermarkets already sell some items loose, the new research presents compelling evidence for significantly increasing the practice across a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables."

       The report added that household fridges are typically too warm and that vegetables, such as cucumbers and broccoli, could last longer if fridge temperatures were lowered from 9 degrees to 4 degrees.

       Researchers found that broccoli lasted an additional 2 weeks past its "best before date" when stored at 4 degrees, while the shelf life of cucumbers was extended by an extra five days.

       Yet households have the most to gain by taking their apples out of the fruit bowl and putting them in the fridge. WRAP found that they lasted an extra 10 weeks past their "best before" date.

       While potatoes can last an extra 3 month in the fridge, the Food Standards Agency advises against this because it can lead to higher levels of acrylamide, a carcinogenic, when the food is cooked.

       The charity said that supermarkets should label shelves to help their customers to understand the benefits of putting fruit and vegetables in the fridge at the correct temperature. It also called for more marketing material on the subject.

       It added: "Do not apply a date label to uncut fresh produce – unless it can be shown that a best before date reduces overall food waste."

       'This research could be a game-changer in the fight against food waste'

       WRAP said that potatoes, bananas, onions and fresh pineapple should be kept at ambient temperatures.

       Marcus Gover, the chief executive of WRAP, said: "This important research could be a game-changer in the fight against food waste and plastic pollution. We have demystified the relationship between wasted food, plastic packaging, date labels and food storage.

       "While packaging is important and often carries out a critical role to protect food, we have proven that plastic packaging doesn’t necessarily prolong the life of uncut fresh produce."

       He added: "We are all living with the reality of the climate emergency and the rising cost of living. This new clarity could not be more timely. We need retailers to step up and follow our recommendations so we can achieve real progress in tackling food waste and plastic pollution."