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 inside your avocado.What it is: The avocado could have been dropped or otherwise bumped; and/or it could be infected.Eat or toss: Cut
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 is edible, but may not taste as
Odd spots inside sweet potato?
What you see: Discolored, dry-looking patches in sweet potato flesh, more toward the outside than the inside. The exterior of the sweet potato probably looks
“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
Dark scratch on grapefruit
What you see: A dark, scratched-out-looking spot on your grapefruit. What it is: Probably an injury from the harvest process. Eat or toss? Eat! As long as
Green caterpillars hanging in the broccoli jungle
What you see: Green wormy grubs in broccoli, maybe even left behind in your cooking water (where they probably turned white). They may have also eaten away at
There’s a worm in my turnip!
What you see: A worm thing burrowing in your turnip What it is: A maggot! Specifically, a root maggot. Eat or toss: Cut around the maggot and its trails. The
Gasp! Weird spots on your potato
What you see: Spots on your potato’s skin; they likely each have a larger outer circle and a dot at the center What it is: An infection of the little structures
You can eat lettuce with little brown spots like these
What you see: Brown dots on your lettuce, especially along the lower parts of the ribs. What it is: Russet spotting! Eat or toss: Eat! This is harmless (for
