What you see: A black area inside your orange (which we’re guessing is a navel orange).What it is: Most likely a confrontation between a fungus and the
Dark spots or discoloration on mushrooms
What you see: Brown areas on your mushrooms that won’t wash off. What it is: Discoloration from bruising or aging. Eat or toss: A little discoloration isn't a
Dark spots all over mango
What you see: Black dots all over your mango.What it is: Lenticel darkening!Eat or toss: Eat! This only affects the external appearance of the mango. Are
Dark, black coloration on shrimp
What you see: Black discoloration on your shrimp. The tails are turning black and amorphous black blobs have formed where the shell segments connect. What
Peach with black spots
What you see: Peaches with black spots. What it is: Peach scab, a disease that tends to stay on the surface. Eat or toss: Peel. If the flesh below
Black dots on salmon?
What you see: Black spots on your salmon. What it is: Likely dark pigments (“melanin spots”) the salmon produced in response to a virus or other
Shallow blackened holes on potato’s exterior
What you see: Blackish spots or holes on your potatoes like those pictured above; they may go below the peel. What it is: Likely pores that were damaged and
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
Grayish smudges or spots on your eggshell?
What you see: Translucent, watercolor-like smudges and spots on your eggshellWhat it is: Mottling, or a place where moisture is trapped in the shellEat or toss:
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
What’s that dirty spot on your egg?
What you see: Specks of grime stuck to an egg. What it is: Chicken feces (eww), possibly also dirt or bits of the carton. Eat or toss: Eat! But use some caution
White stuff on your dates?
What you see: White patches on dates you’ve had for a while What it is: Sugar! Eat or toss: It’s just sugar. The dates will probably be harder and drier than
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
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
