April 22, 2025 by R. Jackson

What if broccoli gets soft and floppy?

floppy broccoli

What you see: Your broccoli is bendy or floppy. It’s lost its firm texture.
What it is: Water loss.
Eat or toss: Eat! As long as everything else looks good, the broccoli is still perfectly fine to eat. You can cook it or firm it up by trimming the bottom of the stalk and plunking it in some water in the fridge.

Can you eat limp broccoli?

When broccoli goes bendy, it’s lost water and is nearing the end of its shelf life. But as long as you don’t see mold or any squishy or slimy areas, it’s still fine to eat.

Like all plants, broccoli transpires, or gives off water vapor

Water constantly flows in and out of plants, but once a fruit or vegetable is harvested, no new water enters the equation (unless there’s some human assistance). Water gradually evaporates away from freshly harvested produce via transpiration, a system of water movement that’s essential for plant life.

To understand why broccoli and other produce release water vapor into the air, let’s take a quick trip back to the farm: While the broccoli was still in the ground, its roots pulled water up from the soil. Plants store much of that water in compartments (vacuoles), that take up lots of the real estate and help keep the cells plump and therefore the plant firm. But the water doesn’t just stay in those vacuoles forever. Plants also use water for various biochemical reactions and, by design, they release water in a number of ways. For a plant growing in the soil, transpiration of water out of the plant is critical; it creates negative pressure forcing roots to pull up more water, which brings nutrients with it. Plants have various tricks for accelerating and slowing the release of water from their surfaces, but, due to basic physics, it’ll happen to some degree no matter what.

Why does broccoli get floppy over time?

Once a fruit or vegetable is harvested, transpiration continues, but the produce can’t replenish the lost water on its own. So, as water fled our broccoli, the cells became less rigid (imagine deflating balloons) and the broccoli went floppy. While it was growing in the ground, the broccoli plant could have simply absorbed some more water through its roots to replenish the lost water. That’s obviously not an option once the vegetable is harvested and plunked in a refrigerator.

Celery and carrots also soften, go bendy, and lose their crunch as water escapes their cells. In other foods, as the water migrates away, you may see shrinkage (think of a green banana vs. a very ripe one), shriveling (consider raspberries) or wrinkling (you may notice this in bell peppers). Produce stored in a dry environment will lose water to the air faster.

Once broccoli goes bendy, how much water has it lost?

According to Horticulture Innovation Australia, once broccoli has lost more than 7 percent of its weight, consumers will reject it as “too soft.”

Are certain types of broccoli more likely to go bendy?

If you purchase your broccoli pre-chopped, its shelf life will be diminished simply because it will have more vulnerable cut surfaces, which leads to water loss and other issues. That said, pre-cut frozen broccoli will still last a long time in your freezer, where transpiration and other processes stop.

Can you make soft broccoli firm again?

You can! Trim off the bottom of the stalk and place it in some water in the fridge. It will firm up.

Is it safe to eat bendy broccoli?

If you’re looking at straightforward water loss, “soft” broccoli is no big deal and it’s totally edible.

However, if the broccoli is softening and showing signs of rot, like areas that look a little slimy and wet or wisps or patches of mold, then it’s no longer good to eat.

While floppy broccoli is usually still fine to eat, it is nearing the end of its shelf life. Once broccoli becomes floppy, it’s more vulnerable to rot. This is because its cells are weaker, it’s older and because water loss stresses the plant, which further accelerates aging and shortens shelf life.

Additionally, if you store your broccoli in a closed container, like a sealed plastic bag, the water that transpired away from the broccoli’s cells could have condensed on its surface, creating a moist environment more inviting to microbial growth.

How should you store broccoli?

Store broccoli in a somewhat breathable bag or container in a humid part of the fridge; the drier the air, the faster water will be coaxed out of the broccoli’s cells and the faster it will go bendy. While a bag that traps some humidity can reduce water loss, don’t store it in a airtight bag; that will cause moisture that’s transpired off the broccoli to puddle and make it easier for microbial rots to set in. Similarly, don’t wash broccoli until you’re ready to use it.

SaveTheFood says broccoli is freshest five to seven days after you buy it. I’ve found it can last longer than that, but the sooner you use it, the more likely you are to have a good, crisp experience.

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