Unlike other fruits, avocados only begin to ripen after they are harvested from the tree. However, the ripening process of this fruit occurs quite quickly after being picked. After ripping, it will only take a few days for the avocado to start spoiling and become unusable. Here are 5 signs to recognize when an avocado is spoiled and should no longer be used.
1. The avocado is soft and the skin is dented
When checking the ripeness of an avocado, consumers should use the palm of their hand to gently squeeze around it, instead of using a finger to press on the avocado, which can cause the avocado cover to turn black. If the avocado is still hard and is not dented, it is not ready to be eaten. On the contrary, when the avocado has a certain softness, with a slight indentation when squeezed around, it is ready to be used.
However, when you squeeze the avocado with a little force but the avocado is soft and has deeper indentations, it may not be hard enough to slice, which would be more effective when making avocado puree. Spoiled avocados often have very deep indentations and you can feel the flesh inside is crushed, no longer maintaining the shape of the avocado.
2. The skin turns dark black
Some avocados have a clear change in skin color as they ripen, for example, the HASS avocado, which accounts for about 80% of the world's avocados. This type of avocado usually has a bright green skin and has raised areas on the skin. As the avocado ripens, it gradually turns dark green and brown. If the skin gradually turns dark brown to black, this is a sign that the avocado may have spoiled inside and is no longer edible.
However, some other types of avocados such as Zutano and Fuerte have green skin that is not changed by the ripening process of the fruit. Therefore, for this type of avocado, the best way is to squeeze it or taste it directly.
3. The flesh of the avocado is dark and black.
Cutting into an avocado to determine if it is spoiled is the simplest and most effective way. However, this is only an option after buying the avocado. The flesh of ripe avocados is usually bright green or dark green. With spoiled fruit, the flesh will have black and brown spots.
4. Strange smell and taste
Ripe avocados usually have a fragrant, naturally sweet, slightly bitter, and rich seed flavor. However, when the avocado is overripe and no longer usable, it will emit a strange scent that can be unpleasant for some people. If the avocado flesh is sour and has a strange smell, this may be a sign of bacteria and should be removed from the diet. This can happen when oxidation or bacterial invasion breaks down the structure of unsaturated fats in the avocado.
Rancidity can produce toxic compounds that have negative effects on human health. The taste of spoiled avocados can vary, but can usually be easily recognized by visual inspection and their unusual smell.
5. Mold
Mold on avocados is usually white or gray and appears quite faintly. Smell can be dangerous because of the possibility of inhaling mold spores, which can cause respiratory problems for some people.
Avoid buying avocados that appear to have mold on the outside, as mold can easily penetrate the flesh of the avocado. After cutting open an avocado and seeing signs of mold, discard the entire fruit. Although mold may only appear in one area, it can easily spread through the soft flesh.
Whether or not an overripe avocado is safe to eat depends on how ripe it is. Since the ripening process begins at the stem end and progresses downward, some parts of the fruit may still be safe to eat if the flesh is just starting to turn brown. However, areas that have already changed color should not be eaten.
After cutting an avocado, the flesh will begin to oxidize and gradually turn brown. This is a natural process, similar to the way an apple turns dark after being cut. If this affects the taste, consumers can skip the discolored layer and eat the rest. To minimize the browning of the cut avocados, consumers can soak the flesh in lemon juice, store it in a sealed container, and refrigerate it. In addition, refrigerating the avocado can slow down the ripening process.
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Healthline.com Reference Article
