I've asked this question every time I see these bags displayed in the produce department of our grocery store. And as produce gets more and more expensive, it's time we took a seriousl look at this product—anything that can extend the life of produce is a good thing.

So to answer the question, let's first look at some science. One of the reasons fresh produce tends to break down fairly quickly is due to humidity and ethylene gas: nature's ripening agents. As fruits and vegetables ripen in their natural environment, the ethylene is released into the surrounding air. However, when ethylene is released inside the refrigerator, it gets trapped and builds up, causing produce to ripen much faster than it would in nature. Some ethylene is a good thing—as mentioned, it helps the ripening process. But too much, which is what you get when produce is crammed into your refrigerator crisper drawer, the gas gets trapped and that is NOT a good thing.

So along came Debbie Meyer and her green produce bags: guaranteed to preserve freshness for an extra week or so. Here's what they do:

GreenBags and other similar products are made of zeolite. This is a hydrated aluminosilicate mineral that absorbs and neutralizes the ethylene gas fresh produce releases. The bags are a polyethylene plastic, considered one of the safer plastics because it doesn't have Bisphyenol A. (But still, never microwave these bags.)

The theory is that if you put totally dry produce in the bags the produce will last a long time (10 times longer) because the ethylene gas that causes produce to spoil is removed as it is emitted. The design of the bags is a mimic of a successful natural food storage method used by the Japanese where produce is put in dark, cool, and dry caves made of this form of zeolite. You can reuse the bags around 10 times.

Debbie later took this science and applied it to creating refrigerator left-over keepers. Zeolite is the main ingredient in these as well.

But if you're wanting a plastic-free alternative, look to the reuseit Produce Saver (www.reuseit.com). You can get a set of 2 for $9.95 and they work well for up to 6 months. Their features:

• Increases shelf life of food up to 3-10 times, for about 5-cents a day
• 100% safe, natural ingredients
• Same minerals used in the produce industry
• Package size is designed to absorb ethylene gas & humidity quickly
• Made in the USA
• 1% for the Planet member

Reuseit.com Produce Savers help reduce produce waste by extending the life of your produce by 3-10 times. Just toss a produce saver in your fridge's produce drawer, and the FDA-approved mineral combination will absorb ethylene gas and humidity. In fact, each produce saver can absorb 55% of its weight in humidity. These produce savers are designed to maximize the surface area exposure of the internal materials, which ensures ethylene gas and humidity are absorbed quickly, helping keep your produce fresh longer.

To use the Savers all you have to do is remove it from the plastic bag and put it in your crisper drawer (but don't let it get wet). Keep the unused Saver packed in the zip-locked bag. Use the calendar printed on the bag to track when you need to change it. The reuseit.com site says it's just that easy to start reducing food waste and saving money.

Like Debbie Meyer, reuseit.com also makes saver containers. But the reviews weren't that great on this product. They're made with silicone and the users said after a couple months the containers started to crack.

I've tossed out a lot of past-their-prime fruits and veggies and I intend to try the reuseit Produce Savers very soon. I'll let you know in a later article what I think. Meanwhile, let us know if you have a good way to extend the life of your fresh produce!