There is nothing more disappointing than finding out that your avocado is bad. Unfortunately, not all avocados last as long as you’d like them to. As a result, you need to know how to determine if an avocado is bad or not before you eat it. You might think that there isn’t much to learn about the humble avocado, but there are several things that you need to know about this fruit if you plan on keeping it for longer than a day or two. Unfortunately, it’s quite simple for an avocado to go bad before its time. If you can identify some key characteristics of the avocado and understand why they are important, then it will help ensure that you keep your avocados for longer than a day or two. Here are some tips on how to tell if an avocado is bad.
How Do You Know If An Avocado Is Bad?
If an avocado is bad, it will typically be brown or black on the inside. However, there are other ways to tell if an avocado is bad. For example, if the avocado is mushy or feels too light for its size, it’s likely bad. Additionally, if the stem comes off easily and the pit is loose, that’s also a sign that the avocado is bad.
Check The Color Of Your Avocado
- If you look at the color of your avocado, it should be a nice, bright green. If you can see any brown spots on the skin of the avocado, then it is starting to go bad. If you don’t want to throw away an entire avocado because of one brown spot, then cut around that area and remove it.
- The color of the flesh inside your avocado should not be white or yellow; rather it should be a nice green. If you see any discoloration in the flesh or if that flesh is turning a different color than it should be, then you need to get rid of that avocado before eating it.
- Avocados will ripen over time; however if your avocados are not ripening properly at home, then they are likely going bad and need to be thrown out. Keep in mind that avocados will not ripen in their skin once they reach their peak ripeness; so if you want to ripen an avocado at home, you will need to remove it from the skin before doing so.
- If your avocado is not ripening properly, then you may want to try cutting it open and leaving it out for several days. You can put the flesh in a bowl with a paper towel on top of it and then put that bowl in a dark place. It may take several days for your avocado to ripen properly; however, if you notice any bad smells, mold, or any other signs that your avocado is bad, then you should throw it away immediately.
What Are Some Signs That Avocado Is Bad?
- The first thing you need to look for is soft spots. Even if it has a few bruises, this doesn’t necessarily mean that the avocado is bad. However, if there are several soft spots, or if the avocado feels mushy when you press on it, then you should probably throw it out.
- The reason why this is important is that an avocado that has gone bad will not ripen further. In fact, it will only continue to rot and get worse over time. If you find a few soft spots on an avocado that you want to eat soon, then cut those parts out and eat the rest of the fruit. However, if there are many soft spots on your avocado, then toss it in the trash can because you’re better off eating something else instead of waiting for it to go bad even further in your refrigerator!
- Another sign that avocado has gone bad is if there are brown spots on the skin. This isn’t as important as a soft spot, but it is still something that you should keep an eye out for. If you see brown spots on your avocado, then cut those portions out and eat the rest of the fruit.
- The next thing to look at is the texture of your avocado. If it is mushy or has a lot of liquid in it, then it might be a good idea to throw it out since there’s no way that you can save an avocado that has gone bad. However, if the texture seems to be fine, then you might be able to save some time by eating this fruit later on in the day rather than waiting for it to ripen further!
- If you have a few avocados going bad in your kitchen, then you might want to consider buying one of those plastic bags with an air hole so that they can ripen quicker. This is often done with bananas, and it can definitely help you get more out of your avocados.
Can You Freeze Avocados?
1. The outer skin on the avocado will start to become discolored
The outer skin of an avocado is always a good indicator of whether or not it’s bad. The reason for this is that the outer skin of an avocado is where most of the nutrients are found. If you have started to notice any signs of discoloration on the outside of your avocado, then it’s definitely time to throw it out. You should also avoid eating avocados if there are any signs that they have been stored for a long period of time, such as green spots on the surface or brown spots on the flesh.
2. The inside flesh color will start to turn yellow and mushy
The inside flesh color will also start to turn yellow and mushy if your avocados are bad. If you’re noticing any discoloration in the flesh, then it should be thrown out immediately.
3. The inside flesh will start to become slimy
The inside flesh will start to become slimy if your avocados are bad. If you’ve started to notice any sliminess in the flesh, then it should be thrown out immediately.
4. The inside flesh will start to smell off
The inside flesh will also start to smell off if your avocados are bad. It is important that you pay attention to this characteristic because it can be a sign that the avocado is not fresh and it might not be safe for consumption.
Give It A Gentle Squeeze
- If the avocado is rock-hard, then it is probably bad. If you give it a gentle squeeze, you will find that it feels like a piece of wood. There are some foods that have a similar texture to wood. These include frozen vegetables and ice cream. The reason for this is that they have been frozen at some point in the past and then thawed out.
- If the avocado is soft, then it’s probably still good to eat. You can still make delicious dishes out of an avocado that has softened over time by simply squeezing it gently again before using it in your recipes. Some people prefer their avocados to be nice and soft so they don’t feel the need to squeeze them before consuming them, but the fact remains that a hard avocado doesn’t taste any better than one which has softened over time, so you shouldn’t let this stop you from enjoying your avocados!
- If the avocado is mushy, then it’s probably bad. If you give it a gentle squeeze and the avocado squishes very easily, then it is probably bad. Your avocado should be firm to the touch but not rock hard.
- If there are any brown spots on your avocado, then this is a sign that they are bad. As mentioned above, an avocado that has been frozen and thawed out will have white spots on the skin of the fruit because of frost damage. However, if you find brown spots on your avocados, then this is likely due to the fact that they have been exposed to too much sunlight or have been stored in warm conditions for too long.
Conclusion
There is a lot to know about avocados, and it’s important to know how to tell if an avocado is bad before you eat it. The methods above are some of the best ways to tell if an avocado is bad, but they are not infallible. Be sure to keep an eye out for any discoloration, black spots, or other signs of spoilage, and avoid eating a bad avocado. With these tips in mind, you should have no trouble knowing how to determine if an avocado is bad. With your new knowledge, you can keep your avocados fresher for longer and enjoy them in all of their deliciousness!
