What you see: Black stuff on your chopped or peeled potatoes. What is is: Oxidation after cells were damaged by chopping or peeling. Eat or toss: Eat! You can
What to know about dirt on your produce
Ever wondered about dirt on your produce? Maybe you’re not sure you scrubbed every last bit of grit off your potatoes. Or you’re just generally feeling a little
Brown areas and little holes inside your apple
What you see: Areas of brown, dry-looking apple flesh; likely also some seed-shaped holes. What it is: Carbon dioxide injury. Eat or toss? This is not an
Sunken black spots on an apple’s skin
What you see: Dark, possibly black, sunken spots on your apple’s skin. What it is: Bitter pit. Eat or toss: Peel and eat! This disorder usually doesn’t go very
Little round things in your spinach
What you see: Little, round brown things in your plastic clamshell of spinach. They have a dried out, rough, papery texture and may be loose or stuck to the
A translucent, floppy, overripe banana
What you see: A seemingly translucent, floppy and very soft banana. What it is: An extremely ripe banana. Eat or toss? Eat! Possibly in banana bread! Is it
When lettuce turns pink or brownish, is it still good to eat?
What you see: Lettuce that’s brownish, pinkish along the ribs. What it is: Pink rib! Eat or toss: If the lettuce looks slimy, trim that portion away. If the rib
Can you eat a bruised banana?
What you see: Brown area on a banana, just below a dark impact wound on its peel.What it is: A bruise.Eat or toss? If the peel isn't broken a mild bruise is
Brown spots on potato chips? (Plus, lasers!)
What you see: Brown or black areas on your potato chips. What it is: Minor imperfections that don’t impact the safety of the chip—they could be bruises or the
A rough brown band around apples
What you see: Rough brown skin forming a thick band that partially or entirely encircles the fruit. The apple is probably shaped a bit oddly too. What it is:
Brown speckles on your apricot?
What you see: Brown speckles on your dried apricot What it is: Natural variation on the apricot’s skin Eat or toss: Eat! Is it safe to eat dried apricots
Brown area inside avocado
What you see: A brown area just under the skin inside your avocado.What it is: The avocado could have been dropped or otherwise bumped; and/or it could be
Brown dots or streaks in your avocado?
What you see: Brown and black streaks or dots in avocado flesh. What it is: Vascular browning! Mmmm! Eat or toss? The avocado could be fine, but may not taste
Odd spots inside sweet potato?
What you see: Discolored, dry-looking patches and/or brown spots in sweet potato flesh, more toward the outside than the inside. The exterior of the sweet
“Golden” raisins turned brown?
What you see: Your golden raisins are brown What it is: Raisins that either weren’t properly treated or were kept too warm; either could cause them to brown Eat
A plum that’s brownish inside?
What you see: Brownish discoloration inside a plum What it is: Likely flesh browning from too-cold storage Eat or toss: The plum doesn’t taste good, right? It’s