How to Tell If Eggplant Is Bad (2024)

FAQs

How to Tell If Eggplant Is Bad? ›

When buying an eggplant, the flesh should be firm but give slightly when pressed, then bounce back. If your eggplant is soft to the touch, that's an indication that it's beginning to spoil. In addition, if the flesh of the eggplant is slimy, you'll want to throw it away.

Answer. Eggplant flesh will have tan to brown colored spots around the seeds. If this is the color you are referring to, it is edible. If the flesh is more brown than white, the eggplant may be spoiling and should be discarded.

When it's cooked, “it should turn fully tender, all the flesh should be somewhat custardy. If you have to, hammer it a bit, knock it around, let it start to collapse.” When you're roasting eggplant, like in YuChen's recipe, “make sure you give them enough space so they can cook evenly,” she says.

The real concern arises with excessive consumption or exposure to unripe eggplants. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. To minimize risk, always serve cooked, ripe eggplants and discard any green or spoiled parts.

Choosing the Wrong Eggplant

"Bruised, wrinkly, or soft eggplants are well past their peak and are likely to be dry and spongy no matter how you prepare them.

Typical symptoms included water-soaked, rapid soft rotting, and abundant sporulation on the whole panicle necks, stems, and leaves. Based on morphological characteristics, phylogenetic analyses, and pathogenicity tests, the pathogens were identified as Choanephoraceae cucurbitarum.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

Regardless of the type of eggplant you've got, don't leave fruits on the plant so long that the flesh becomes tough and the seeds firm up. The skin will look dull and take on a brown cast when fruits are overripe, and the flesh inside will be bitter. Fruits will feel slightly soft under gentle pressure when overripe.

Eggplants prefer cool, dark environments, like a pantry or wine cooler, and their optimum storage temperature is around 50 degrees F. Eggplant will last between five and seven days in the refrigerator as long as the skin hasn't been removed or damaged.

Can undercooked eggplant make you sick? A. No, undercooked eggplant won't make you sick when consumed in moderation. While the leaves and petals can be hazardous, the eggplant is safe to eat raw or cooked, and the chemical solanine, which some people are sensitive to, is only toxic in large doses.

Is slightly brown eggplant OK to eat? ›

It's likely just been exposed to air and is experiencing enzymatic browning. An eggplant with brown spots is not safe to eat if it contains bugs or mold or exhibits other signs of spoilage. It should be thrown out.

Signs That Eggplant Is Bad

If your eggplant has lost its luster and/or looks wrinkly, it's past its prime and no longer good to cook with. Keep an eye out for brown spots around your eggplant, too. These spots are another sign that your eggplant is on its way out.

Learning when to harvest eggplants results in the tastiest and most tender of the fruit. Leaving the eggplant harvest too long causes bitter eggplant with a tough skin and large seeds.

Ripe eggplants should be firm but not hard. Flesh should be white with a slight green tint (orange eggplants ripen orange/green inside). If you are unsure of your eggplant's ripeness, cut one crosswise and check the seeds. They should be clearly visible.

Can undercooked eggplant make you sick? A. No, undercooked eggplant won't make you sick when consumed in moderation. While the leaves and petals can be hazardous, the eggplant is safe to eat raw or cooked, and the chemical solanine, which some people are sensitive to, is only toxic in large doses.