How to Tell if an Avocado has gone bad?

Avocado is loved by many people because it is both delicious, nutritious and easy to modify with many dishes. However, it can be a bit difficult to tell when an avocado is just eaten. We all know that health can be compromised when people eat spoiled food. Moreover, an avocado that is barely overripe is still edible, but the taste will be terrible. You can avoid disappointment if you know how to test avocados and how to store them.

Table of Contents

Check the avocado

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Observe the skin of the avocado. If there are visible mold spots or a sour smell on the avocado skin, the avocado is no longer edible and should be discarded. If the avocado is deeply dented and has spots or bruises, it’s spoiled. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Look at the color of the avocado. The color of different avocado varieties is also different. The most common avocado variety is the Hass avocado, which changes color to dark green or purple when ripe. ^{[2] X Research Source} If a Hass avocado has turned dark black, it is overripe.

Most commercially available avocado varieties such as Bacon, Fuerte, Gwen, Pinkerton, Reed and Zutano remain green even when ripe. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Hold the avocado in your hand and gently press it. Be careful not to crush the avocado. A ripe avocado will sink slightly with gentle pressure. If you press lightly and the avocado is dented, it’s a sign that it’s spoiled. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Check the ripeness with the stem of the avocado. Many people advocate testing for softness by pressing or breaking the stem of an avocado. An avocado that sheds easily is a ripe avocado. When you have broken the stem of the avocado, you will see the color of the avocado pulp inside. ^{[5] X Research Sources} This method can be effective for softness but is not for color evaluation. To judge the quality of the avocado flesh, you need to look at the wider surface of the peel.

If you are choosing to buy avocado at the store, you should not check this way. Sliced avocados can lose quality and cause damage to the seller.

Cut the avocado in half. If you’ve bought an avocado, this is the fastest way to tell if it’s spoiled. The flesh of a ripe avocado should be light green in color. Do not eat if the flesh of an avocado is black or brown, but if there are only a few scattered brown bruises, the avocado is still edible. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Taste the avocado flesh. If you’ve looked closely at the avocado flesh but aren’t sure if it’s spoiled, you can taste a bit of the green avocado flesh. Butter should be fatty, light, and slightly sweet. If there is a strong or strange smell, it is damaged.

Keeping avocados fresh

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Store avocados properly so they don’t get overripe. With ripe avocados but not ready to eat right away, you can store them in the refrigerator. Whole ripe avocados can be kept for up to 3-4 days at room temperature or 7-10 days in the refrigerator. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Store cut avocados to preserve freshness. To store avocados once cut, cover with cling film and/or store in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days. ^{[8] X Source of Research} To keep your avocado’s light green color as long as possible, you can drizzle a thin layer of lemon juice over the cut side of the avocado. The mild acidity helps prevent oxidation and the avocado flesh doesn’t quickly turn brown.

Oxidized butter does not mean inedible. You can use a spoon or other tool to scrape off the brown surface, and the underside will be pale green.

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Freeze butter to prevent spoilage. To preserve avocados longer, you can blend the avocado flesh with lemon juice and store it in an airtight container. Butter can be stored for up to 4 months in the freezer. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Advice

Avocados will continue to ripen after harvest and can ripen within 4-5 days when stored at room temperature. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Warning

Avocados produce ethylene gas, a gas that causes fruits to ripen quickly. Avocados will also ripen faster when kept in an enclosed space or ethylene-producing fruits like bananas, peaches, and apples. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Steps

Check the avocado

Keeping avocados fresh

Advice

Warning

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