are one of the most versatile ingredients in the . Their meaty texture and earthy flavour make them ideal for everything from and to and . However, mushrooms are notoriously tricky to store, often turning slimy and unusable within just a few days.

Luckily, food experts have revealed that one simple mistake could be causing your mushrooms to spoil faster than they should, and it all comes down to where you keep them and what you store them next to. According to , one you should never store near mushrooms is garlic.

While the two may be a match made in heaven when cooked, keeping them close together in the fridge can backfire.

Mushrooms are a natural "flavour sponge", absorbing strong odours and scents from nearby items.

Left too close to garlic, they can develop an unpleasant smell or taste before you've even had a chance to use them.

On top of that, mushrooms should never be kept in plastic containers or in the crisper drawer next to the garlic, where excess moisture can cause them to go mouldy.

Instead, they should be placed in a breathable container like a brown paper bag and kept in the main compartment of the fridge.

Chef Traci Weintraub, speaking to , advised: "Simply put whole, unwashed mushrooms in a brown paper bag and fold the top over to seal it up.

"The paper bag will absorb any moisture, keeping your mushrooms safe."

If you don't have a paper bag, wrapping them in a paper towel and placing them in a bowl works just as well.

Richard LaMarita, a chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, added that mushrooms should always be kept dry.

"They soak up water like a sponge," he said, warning against washing them before storing.

If you've already sliced your mushrooms, they should be placed in an airtight container and used within three days.

Whole mushrooms can last up to a week if stored correctly. For longer-term use, you can freeze mushrooms, but only after lightly cooking them first to preserve texture and flavour.

Experts also say that mushrooms aren't the only foods that can go bad when stored near the wrong produce.

warns that apples should be kept away from onions, as apples can absorb the strong flavour, making them taste unpleasant.

Carrots can also take on the taste of apples or other ethylene-producing fruits if stored nearby.

Meanwhile, bananas and avocados should only be stored together if you're deliberately trying to ripen your avocados faster, as bananas emit ethylene gas which speeds up the process.

And when it comes to spotting when mushrooms have gone bad, the signs are easy to spot.

If they're slimy, soggy, overly dark or give off a strong smell, it's time to throw them out.