What you see: Some sediment or cloudiness at the bottom of your jar of maple syrup. What it is: Sugar sand! Also called “niter.” These are solids that fall out
Can you eat “expired” deli meats? What if your sliced turkey or chicken breast is past its “use by” or “sell by” date?
Quick summary: Whether you call them deli meats or lunch meats, as long as they're properly handled, these sandwich classics are safe for healthy people. Still,
How to evaluate greens past their “best by” date
Quick summary: If your clamshell or bag of fresh greens is a little past its “best by” date, but still looks fresh and dry, the greens are probably fine. If,
How to evaluate dairy products after their “best by,” “use by” or “sell by” dates
The world of dairy products is vast, and includes some foods that can last a while, others that quickly spoil in obvious ways, and still others, like soft
How can you tell if an avocado is rotten?
Avocados can "go bad" in many different ways. You’ll know an avocado is rotten if you cut into it and discover widespread discoloration in shades of brown, gray
What’s the white stuff on the ends of some bananas?
What you see: A subtle mold, likely white, on the stem or end of your banana. It may be almost like powdered sugar or cotton ball fluff that won’t brush
What’s the white liquid that oozes from sweet potatoes?
What you see: A milky white liquid that appears on freshly cut surfaces of raw sweet potatoes. What it is: A milky sap produced by sweet potatoes.Eat or toss:
Moldy maple syrup?
What you see: Something unexpected floating on top of your maple syrup. It might be whitish, brown, cream-colored or another color.What it is: Mold.Eat or toss:
Spots of mold on the bottom of a pineapple?
What you see: Mold on the bottom of your intact pineapple. What it is: Fungal growth on dead plant tissue. Eat or toss: If the rest of the pineapple looks fine,
Twisty, dried brown thing at bottom of banana
What you see: A twisty bit of dried plant material at the end of your banana. What it is: Dried petals!Eat or toss: The banana is still perfectly edible.
What’s the white stuff in some apple cores?
What you see: Tight bundles of white fuzz around the seed cavities in your apple core; you may be worried your apple is moldy.What it is: If the apple otherwise
White liquid dripping out of lettuce?
What you see: A milky white substance leaks out of your freshly chopped lettuce. What it is: Lettuce latex!Eat or toss: Eat! This is a natural part of the
Can you eat the dark line or “vein” on shrimp?
What you see: The black line or “vein” on the outer curve of your shrimp. What it is: The shrimp’s digestive tract! It's sometimes called a “sand vein.”Eat or
Potato squirts during chopping?!?
What you see: A potato that squirts while you’re chopping. What it is: A potato packing lots of water!Eat or toss: Eat! This potato is just fine. Is it OK
Can you cook with raw meat past “use by” or “sell by” dates?
The U.S Department of Agriculture recommends that raw meat be cooked within three to five days of purchase, and one to two days for ground meat. But, since
Big spots on snap peas
What you see: Large, rough, ringed “spots” on your snap peas. What it is: Fungal growth.Eat or toss: Mostly toss, but if some pods look normal, you could still
