Avocado Question

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Andy M.

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I'm new to avocados so forgive the ignorance.

I just cut open an avo for lunch. It's blotchy with black scattered through parts of the interior. Is that OK to serve or should I dump it?
 
I'm new to avocados so forgive the ignorance.

I just cut open an avo for lunch. It's blotchy with black scattered through parts of the interior. Is that OK to serve or should I dump it?

We toss them. I believe it is spoiled. I see that a lot with over ripe Haas.
 
Sometimes that happens Andy. I wish you had a picture but I think I know what you're talking about. If it's just speckled blackI would use it myself, it certainly won't hurt you. If it seems over ripe, toss it.
 
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Sometimes that happens Andy. I wish you had a picture but I think I know what you're talking about. If it's just speckled blackI would use it myself, it certainly won't hurt you. If it seems over ripe, toss it.


It wasn't all that soft, Kayelle. the discoloration was scattered through the interior.

I guess I'll give it a try.

Check to see if I'm online later today. ;)
 
i usually cut out any black spots. It's usually caused by bruising from being squeezed too hard. If it contains too much, I toss it.
 
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It wasn't all that soft, Kayelle. the discoloration was scattered through the interior.

I guess I'll give it a try.

Check to see if I'm online later today. ;)

If it's just speckled throughout, it will be fine Andy. Just be glad you didn't get one like this..I was so bummed when I opened it. :(

img_1400442_0_a88c51f1425234e3b136b58ed7df2f58.jpg
 
There are pretty much four things that can happen to avocados

Dark and mushy throughout is just overipe, rotten.

Dark strands through the flesh means fruit from a young tree. Pick them out.

Diffuse bruised looking placed under the skin are probably exactly that, bruises.

Well-defined black spots that you often don't see until you cut are likely cold storage damage but may also be from previous customers piking them. Don't refrigerate avocados, Let them ripen naturally and use them before they get dark and soft. I use the small end to judge at the store. If I can press the end around the stem and find it not hard, it's close to ripe and will have to be used soon. If it's hard, it will have to ripen for a while.

I find it's better to use ripe avocados just as they are ripe and refrigerate the prepped fruit or guacamole.

If you buy some and take them home and that day find them cold damaged or rotten, return them to the store. They suffered something between the tree and the store.
 
I agree avocados should be allowed to ripen at room temp. However, if if you find yourself with more ripe ones than you can use, put them in the refrigerator. It will stop the ripening process somewhat.

GLC, what do you think was the cause of that humongous seed in mine? I've cut open thousands of avocados in my day, and that was bizarre!
 
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Subsequent investigation on another authoritative website reveals this:

Q: What does it mean if my fruit has brown/black streaks?

A: The "streaks" you describe are a relatively rare occurrence generally found in fruit from young trees. Although the fibers may be unsightly, the surrounding fruit is safe for your consumption.
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Q: What does it mean if my fruit has brown/black spots?

A: Flesh discoloration occurs when the avocado has been exposed to cold temperatures for a long period of time before it begins the ripening process. Flesh bruising can occur in transit or as a result of compression caused by excessive handling. Unfortunately there is no way to detect either flesh discoloration or flesh bruising by looking at the avocado's exterior. They are not harmful and can be removed by cutting them out.


Hass Avocado Board: FAQs on How to Pick and Prepare Avocados
 
Also, another avocado tip, although common sense, if you are buying a few avocados at the same time for a recipe, try and get ones that are at a similar ripening stage. This way they will all be perfectly ripe at the same time for the guacamole or whatever you are using it for. That being said if you are using them one at a time, maybe get at different stages so they all dont ripen at once then you have too many ripe at one time.
I hate when i get the dark striations or spots. Unfortunately, no real way of knowing until you've cut it open.
 
If I buy more than one avocado, I keep one on the top of the fridge, to promote faster ripening and the rest in the fridge. Also to check if ripe avocado is good when you are buying one, simply pick out the little stem and see if inside is green. Put it back after done. If avocado is over ripen it will be dark inside, if not it will be nice and green.


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They are bad. Toss them.

From my experience, don't buy avocado's by the bulk and cheap at a local store. They are likely from a bad crop.

I usually buy mine from costco.
 
Holy moly Kay....that is one huge avocado pit! :ohmy:

If there are just a few little dark spots I cut them out, but if there are too many to mess with I'll just toss it and cut open another one if I have it, and usually do. Avocados are almost a staple in my kitchen. :)
 
They are bad. Toss them.

From my experience, don't buy avocado's by the bulk and cheap at a local store. They are likely from a bad crop.

I usually buy mine from costco.

I get good ones from Trader Joe's along with Costco but to say that ones in a local store are likely from a "bad crop" is just not true. By the way, the best ones come from the neighbor kid with the wagon. ;)
 
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I get good ones from Trader Joe's along with Costco but to say that ones in a local store are likely from a "bad crop" is just not true. By the way, the best ones come from the neighbor kid with the wagon. ;)


The best ones I've ever seen were in a small grocery store in Mexico, and were the size of my head!

The ones we get up here are so hit or miss. Mostly miss. I've had to pitch more than I've been able to use.
 
The best ones I've ever seen were in a small grocery store in Mexico, and were the size of my head!

The ones we get up here are so hit or miss. Mostly miss. I've had to pitch more than I've been able to use.

You're so right Dawg, I need to remember those far away from the Mexican border still aren't as likely to get the best avocados. I remember years ago when when nearly every home in our old neighborhood had a Hass tree in the back yard. They were free for the picking, and the going wagon price was 6 for a dollar. Today, here in the Heritage Valley we have groves of prized avocado's along with lemons to be sent all over the country, and beyond.
 
GLC, what do you think was the cause of that humongous seed in mine? I've cut open thousands of avocados in my day, and that was bizarre!

I did a little reading, and a very large seed with a thin flesh layer is typical of a wild avocado. But avocados are known for wide variation in seed size, and I would guess that, like a lot of other domesticated things, there are occasional throw-backs to primitive traits. And maybe it's a young tree, like the oversize egg from a young hen.

It also seems that no one has ever told the avocado that it should be extinct. They evolved to be spread my verbivorous megafauna that were big enough to eat it whole and who would pass the seed after they had moved some distance. But 80% of the megafauna (giant ground sloth, etc.) died out 13,000 years ago.
 
I did a little reading, and a very large seed with a thin flesh layer is typical of a wild avocado. But avocados are known for wide variation in seed size, and I would guess that, like a lot of other domesticated things, there are occasional throw-backs to primitive traits. And maybe it's a young tree, like the oversize egg from a young hen.

It also seems that no one has ever told the avocado that it should be extinct. They evolved to be spread my verbivorous megafauna that were big enough to eat it whole and who would pass the seed after they had moved some distance. But 80% of the megafauna (giant ground sloth, etc.) died out 13,000 years ago.

I always appreciate you going the extra mile GLC, and giving us all food for thought. Thank you. :flowers:
 
It also seems that no one has ever told the avocado that it should be extinct. They evolved to be spread my verbivorous megafauna that were big enough to eat it whole and who would pass the seed after they had moved some distance. But 80% of the megafauna (giant ground sloth, etc.) died out 13,000 years ago.

Yeah, Passing that seed could be a real challenge these days.:)
 
Personally I do not like avocados. But like guacamole a lot. Because of hit and miss of purchasing fresh avocado I switched to buying ready made guacamole. It ends up cheaper anyway. And the I just jazz it up to my liking because it mostly simply mashed avocados and not real guacamole in the box.


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