You buy some avocados, days go by and then you decide you want to eat one.
Will it still be good and how can you tell if it is? How long do avocados last before Mold will take over them?
Avocados are definitely a product you want to eat quickly because they don’t take long to spoil. Bacteria can even make its way through the skin.
Causes And Signs of Mold on Avocados
One such cause has to do with how the fruit ripens. As it does so, the skin and stem shrink, leaving it more susceptible to decay and mold.
Additionally, avocados won’t start to get ripe until removed from a tree.
But once this happens, they will ripen in a few days.
You also can tell by simply looking at one and feeling it before cutting it open.
You might see mold on the skin, or it could have a foul odor.
Also, if there are many dents, then there is likely mold.
Another sign of mold on avocados is based on what happens when you squeeze one. If the indentation remains, the avocado has gone bad.
On the other hand, a ripe avocado yields a bit when squeezed.
You also should look at the stem for visible mold spots. It can easily grow there and all it takes to spot is a quick visual inspection.
After cutting it open, check the inside. Green indicates that the avocado is ripe and healthy while black or brown could mean mold or spoilage.
A good way to tell the difference between a dark spot being mold or a bruise is by smelling the fruit. If it smells ok, it should be good to keep and eat.
Here are other signs of mold you might notice from looking at the inside or flesh:
- Dark streaks
- Stringy texture
- Bad flavor or sour taste
Remember, mold can appear on the outside or inside of an avocado.
What To Do If You Find Mold in an Avocado?
Mold in avocados often appears as white, gray or fuzz. It is best to throw out an avocado with mold.
If you see mold on the outside, there also could be mold on the inside.
It can penetrate the fruit easily, which is why it’s best to discard at any sign of mold.
Even if you see mold contained to a small area on the inside, you should still throw out the avocado. Since the inside is soft, mold can spread through there quickly and it is best not to take any chances.
How to Tell the Difference Between Mold and a Dark Spot
There are a few ways to distinguish mold from a spot. One would be smell and another would be by touch.
A foul-smelling avocado indicates mold but if it smells fresh, then it is good. If you touch the avocado and it’s soft opposed to being firm, this means there is mold or that the fruit has rotted.
How To Know If There’s Mold From Skin Color
For the most popular kind of avocados known as Hass, the skin color starts out as green before becoming ripe.
Once it ripens, the skin turns brown or dark green, and after the avocado goes bad, the skin color changes to black.
Note there are other types of avocados where the skin color stays green when ripe. To identify mold, look for one of the other signs previously mentioned.
How Long Do Avocados Last?
Once ripe, avocados last 3-4 days if left at room temperature. For ones that aren’t ripe yet, these can last about a week.
The best thing you can do to extend an avocado’s life is place it in the fridge.
To get the freshest and most flavor out of an avocado, wait until it ripens before refrigerating.
A ripe avocado in the fridge can last around a week.
After cutting open, they will last about 4 days in the fridge. Anything you can do to prevent air from getting in such as storing it in a sealed bag or airtight container will keep it fresher longer.
You know an avocado starts to go bad when brown or black spots appear. A few are ok but if they are throughout, you should discard.
How To Prevent Mold on Avocados
There are a few steps to take to help prolong the life of an avocado and prevent it from going moldy. How you store them plays a large role.
- Place whole ones in a brown paper bag
- On one that is cut, put lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar on the flesh and wrap. The acid helps keep the avocado from going brown.
- Put vegetable oil on the flesh of an avocado
- Freeze cut ones. They can last months in the freezer.
- Store an open avocado in the same bag or container as an onion
What Happens If You Eat a Moldy Avocado
Moldy avocados won’t taste good but chances are low you’ll get seriously ill. However some may still develop symptoms.
This can depend on just how bad the avocado is and how much it has decayed.
You may feel sick, similar to getting a virus or the flu. Some might get nauseous or vomit.
If this happens, see a doctor so you can get treated appropriately.
Other problems could result if you’re prone to allergies. These can include respiratory issues.
If you know the avocado is moldy, don’t smell it because the spores can get into your system.
In Conclusion
In general, avocados have a short shelf life. Make sure they are ripe before eating and if you see dark spots, this can mean mold.
Go through the steps described here to detect mold and check before consuming such as squeezing the avocado, checking the skin color and looking for fuzziness.
A few spots can be cut away or discarded but if the flesh is mostly brown, you should throw out the whole avocado. These practices will help make sure you eat ripe avocados and avoid the risk of them having mold.