Dois fatores afetam o armazenamento de butternut e outras abóboras, temperatura e umidade. De Bonnie Plants :
You’ll see best storage results when you stash squash in a cool, dry spot. For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent.
Obviamente, a temperatura em nossos refrigeradores é muito menor que 50 ° F - 55 ° F. E os níveis de umidade podem estar em todo lugar, acima ou abaixo do recomendado.
Para responder ainda mais por que a temperatura faz muita diferença: abóbora e abóboras ainda estão vivas mesmo depois de colhidas e continuam a 'respirar'. De NC State :
Respiration rate of fruit is most effectively controlled by lowering the temperature. For each 10°C (18°F) reduction in fruit temperature, the respiration rate is reduced by approximately one-half. Chilling injury can occur, however, to some fruits at temperatures below 50°F.
Além disso:
Whether in a home, garden or commercial planting, special care should be exercised to protect harvested fruit from excessively high (>95°F) and cold (<50°F) temperatures, asphyxiation, and mechanical injuries such as scratches, cuts or bruises. Not only are mechanical injuries unsightly, they also provide an easy entrance for various rot-producing organisms.