For anyone who enjoys eating avocado on a regular basis, it’s a well-known fact that they can become brown and somewhat unappealing once they’re left out. However, does this mean that it’s no longer safe to eat them?
There are a few key tips that consumers can use to keep their avocado from becoming discolored but there’s no substitute for refrigeration.
If you’ve left a cut avocado on the countertop overnight, you shouldn’t consider eating the avocado. All perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for two hours or more shouldn’t be consumed, according to the FDA. The same isn’t true for an avocado that isn’t cut, as the flesh isn’t exposed to air.
But there’s a bit more to take into consideration when making your decision, and there’s plenty to know regarding storage methods and the risks involved with eating an avocado that’s gone bad. Continue reading to learn about it!
What Can Happen If You Eat a Bad Avocado?
Eating avocados can have many health benefits, such as a boost in vitamin E. Though somewhat expensive, they’re a delicious treat to start your day with or as a topping on your next taco night.
If you’ve accidentally eaten an avocado that’s gone bad, you don’t have to worry too much. You’ll likely have noticed that the avocado was rancid after the first bite and spit out what was in your mouth.
Consuming a bad avocado can result in an upset stomach and possibly vomiting or diarrhea. These are normal symptoms that your body is fighting bad bacteria and attempting to eject them from your system.
Unless you ate a fair amount of moldy avocado, you don’t have much to worry about. You may find yourself feeling a bit nauseated for a little bit, which can often be settled with a hot drink such as your favorite tea.
The next time you go to cut open an avocado, you should do a quick visual inspection as well as smell the fruit to ensure that it doesn’t smell rancid or “off.” Trust your gut on this one and you should be able to avoid eating another bad avocado.
How Can You Tell If an Avocado Has Gone Bad?
Avocados that have a thin layer of discoloration on top of exposed flesh aren’t necessarily bad and they can oftentimes still be salvaged and enjoyed. However, the signs of a truly rotten avocado are difficult to miss and once you bit into one, you’ll regret it immediately.
When an avocado goes rancid, it will often become incredibly mushy. When you’re choosing one at the grocery store, you should pick it up to determine the firmness. If it’s soft already, you should put it back.
Cutting into a bad avocado may result in a sight of mushy, brown flesh. Sometimes, there may even be mold present already. You should toss the fruit immediately and start over with a fresher one.
After they’ve gone bad, avocados may take on a sour smell. If you eat avocados often enough, you’ll immediately recognize that this is not the normal scent and you should discard it before eating.
A good avocado should be smooth and evenly green on the inside. For those unfamiliar with what a perfectly ripe avocado should look like, a quick Google search can provide an image of what you’re looking for.
An overly mushy avocado is often no good for slicing, which is a popular way to enjoy the product. Even if you’re planning on making guacamole, a mushy avocado won’t have the correct texture and can leave an unpleasant lingering taste to your dish.
How Should Cut Avocados Be Stored?
There are differing opinions when it comes to how avocados should be stored once they’ve been cut. Some people argue that you should simply eat the entire thing so you don’t have an issue trying to ward off the discoloration that inevitably takes over the top layer.
When you go to store your avocado, you should seal it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap. You don’t want the avocado exposed to the open air in the fridge, as this can result in discoloration and a dried-out avocado.
Apart from always storing your avocado in a container, you should attempt to keep them intact by leaving the pit inside the flesh. If you’re slicing up an avocado, leave half unsliced until you need it.
The pit helps the area beneath it to stay fresh but it can’t always prevent browning on the exposed areas. However, it provides some help in keeping the fruit fresh and visually appealing the next time you want a snack.
Unlike whole avocados, cut pieces of avocado should never be left on the counter. This is a surefire way to come back to a rotten avocado. If you want to slow down the ripening process on an uncut avocado, you can simply place the entire thing into the fridge.
When left whole, avocados aren’t at risk of drying out as the skin keeps the moisture in. This becomes an issue once they’re cut open and exposed to the air, which is why proper storage is necessary.
Can You Stop an Avocado From Turning Brown?
Naturally, if you have leftover avocado you’ll want to preserve it until you can eat the rest. After all, it’s one of the most expensive items of produce on the grocery store shelves.
When exposed to air, avocados can develop a brown top layer, similar to apples. Most of the time, this is okay to eat but the chemical reaction may gross some people out.
There are a few popular tips when it comes to preventing browning and luckily, many only involve an extra step or two. One of the easiest methods is to put a bit of lemon juice on the cut side of the avocado.
The acidity in the lemon juice works to preserve the exposed flesh, which can provide you with a fresh avocado a day or two later. If you don’t have a lemon, a lime works just as well and at that point, you may as well make guacamole!
Another option when you’re storing a cut avocado is to place it into a container submerged in water. This may keep your avocado from becoming discolored as well and it only takes a minute of extra work to dry off the avocado before you slice it.
Some people claim that brushing a layer of olive oil on the exposed flesh of the avocado can prevent browning as well, though acidity from citrus is generally determined to be a more effective option.
How Long Do Cut Avocados Last?
Depending on how you opt to store your cut avocados, they can last anywhere from a couple of hours to a few days. When refrigerating in the proper conditions, such as inside a sealed container, you have the best chance of keeping your avocado fresh for a few days.
If you’ve sliced up some avocado and left it on the counter for taco Tuesday, you may find that they’ve gone brown after an hour or two. You may find that it’s best to toss out the leftovers and next time, spray a bit of lemon juice overtop of them so they stay green.
When you know that you’ll likely have leftover avocado, you should attempt to leave it in the skin with the pit. This helps keep the remainder fresh and it becomes easier to store than multiple small cut-up chunks.
Some grocery stores sell smaller varieties of avocado, which can be perfect for those only wanting an individual portion. You may find that it’s easier to store them whole and eat them in a single sitting rather than fussing with an involved storage process.
Of course, it’s best to leave avocados whole if you want them to last for a longer period. This isn’t always possible, though, and you may need to preserve them by refrigeration or even making a sauce with the remainder.