Natural temperature exposure

Regarding keeping food below 40 degrees C, what about equatorial and tropical climates where the air temperature can get higher than this? Does it destroy enzymes or denature food, and if so does it affect plants while they're still growing?

Comments

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    No and No.

  • Why and why?

  • SuasoriaSuasoria Raw Newbie

    Okay, here you go:

    The "raw temperature ceiling" isn't a magic number - more like an estimate - which most people believe is somewhere between 114-120 degrees F. So we're talking about max temperatures of about 48 celsius max.

    First of all you wouldn't grow plants outdoors that are inappropriate for the climate zone or season - food plants or otherwise. Agribusiness grows indoors so people can have peaches and tomatoes in winter, or they transport them in from the opposite hemisphere where it's the proper season. Tropical climates are excellent for tropical plants - plants that thrive in heat and hydrated conditions.

    It's true that extremely high temperatures can be bad for plants, especially plants that are chemically fertilized or grown out of their zone, but air temperature is only one factor - even in the heat of summer soil temperatures are much cooler than air temps, and it's the root health/strength that matters to a plant. The deeper the root, the cooler the soil temp. Fruit on a tree stays somewhat shaded, and a tree is stronger structurally than a vegetable and has deeper root systems. Most veggies are annuals, meaning they live one season and then die, so they tend to be a little less robust anyway. But a living plant is, well, alive. Does this make sense? I'm a 'hobbyist' gardener so it does to me...

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