Ever since the coronavirus lockdown started, I have been buying a bunch of groceries and forget (or just get too lazy) to use them.
I’m usually left wondering if my food is still in good condition to consume.
That is also because it is not always obvious when certain items have gone bad. Sometimes some foods are supposed to expire in ten days but find that they already smell and look kind of funny after a few days.
I always ask myself how can one know if food has gone bad?
So I went to find the answers and got them from So Yummy, who details the telltale signs.
How do you know if food has gone bad? Picture: Supplied
Veggies are yellow-ish
Take a long look at your fresh veggies, especially green veggies.
Green vegetables will naturally wilt after a couple of days, especially after they’re unpackaged. This doesn’t mean they are spoiled. If you notice a yellow colour, then, they’re probably past their date. As veggies deteriorate, their colouring changes or fades to yellow.
Your canned goods have lots of dents
Canned goods are supposed to last forever, right? Well, not really.
You can tell if a canned food has gone bad by first looking at the outside of the can. If it is very dented, broken, or features a sign of compromise in the structure (like a tiny crack), whatever is inside could easily be contaminated. And never eat canned food if the lid is damaged or not properly sealed.
How do you know if food has gone bad? Picture: Supplied
It has mould on it
One of the most obvious signs that your food is no longer fit to be eaten is that it has mould on it. Sometimes, you can trim off that mould and eat the rest of the food that seems fine, like with cheese. But in general, you should toss food that has gone mouldy.
It smells pretty bad
The other most obvious sign is the smell. If a food item smells differently than it did when you bought it, or if it doesn’t smell like what it’s supposed to smell like, it has probably gone bad.
Your fruit is mushy
Fruit goes bad pretty quickly and oftentimes will grow mould or look odd when that happens. But another telltale sign you shouldn’t eat a piece of fruit is if it’s very mushy. Fruit shouldn’t be falling apart in your hand. If it’s mushy, that means it’s taken a turn for the worse. Chuck it out.