You can tell an eggplant is terrible by its appearance. If it is brown all over or the inside has a soft, rubbery texture, then it is not fresh and should be discarded. If it has wrinkles and mold on its surface, it is probably not edible and should not be eaten. However, if the eggplant is still firm and looks fine, it is probably edible. You can also eat it and enjoy its delicious taste.
Eggplant Nutrition Facts
How To Tell Eggplant Is Bad?
If you’ve never worked with eggplant flesh before, double-check that the eggplants are still good when you’re ready to utilize them. You’ll want to be aware of the characteristics of rotten eggplant.
- Checking the scent of eggplant is one of the easiest methods to tell whether it’s terrible. There should be no specific odor to eggplant. If the eggplant has a strange odor, it is either too old or rotten, and it is no longer edible once it has oxidized.
- If you can still buy it and eat it, you should store it in the refrigerator. Just keep in mind that the flavor of a fresh eggplant will not change even if it has gone rotten.
- An eggplant’s seeds should be black and gleaming. The seeds of young Thai eggplants are yellowish, and this suggests that, if necessary, you should toss the seed. A healthy eggplant should also have smooth, lustrous skin and green stems.
- The stems should be in good shape with no mold or decay. It should also feel substantial in comparison to its size. The flesh must be solid. If the eggplant seeds are black, it is rotten and should not be eaten.
- Brown and rusted eggplant is another symptom that it has gone rotten. This is a symptom of oxidation, which occurs when an item’s chemical constituents are exposed to air. The eggplant will degenerate due to this process, and it’s spoiled when the skin turns brown.
- Check the appearance of eggplant to see if it is edible. There should be no odor at all. It’s either too old or ruined if it does, and it’s probably wrong if it’s too soft or wrinkled. It should also have a strong odor. It’s preferable to toss it out, and it’s already spoilt if it smells awful. This eggplant isn’t fit to eat, and it’s advisable to discard it and keep the rest.
How Long Do Eggplants Last?
You’ll want to know how long the eggplant will stay lovely and ripe, in addition to selecting the nicest eggplant. Eggplant will keep for three to five days if kept at room temperature and preferably out of direct sunlight. Fresh is ideal, as with practically all fruits and vegetables. The fresher your produce is when you use it or eat it, the better it will cook and taste. You don’t have to peel an eggplant before eating it. However, the skin on larger eggplants may be more challenging to peel.
How Long Does Eggplant Last In The Fridge?
While eggplant is not technically required to be kept in the refrigerator, it can be kept in the crisper part if desired.
However, if you intend to keep it in the fridge, you should first transfer it to a reusable container or a perforated bag. It’s best not to keep eggplant in a sealed plastic bag, such as the produce bag you bought it in, because this may cause moisture to build up and cause the eggplant to rot faster. You can expect your eggplant to survive a little longer if you keep it in the fridge, and Eggplant can last up to a week in the refrigerator if stored properly. Think again about cutting up your eggplant before putting it in the fridge. Like avocados and apples, eggplant begins to brown enzymatically as soon as it is cut open. Like potatoes and apples, eggplant slices need to be soaked in lemon juice or dipped in olive oil to avoid browning. While you can eat it for a few hours after it’s been chopped, the longer the flesh is exposed and browning, the faster it degrades. It’s preferable to leave your eggplant whole and cut it when ready to utilize it.
How To Store Eggplant?
Eggplant prefers to be kept at room temperature or in an excellent, dry location, such as a refrigerator. Your eggplant can be stored in a dry paper bag, a basket, or on a plate. It would help if you did not store your eggplant in an entirely closed plastic bag or container. You should also make sure that your eggplant has its room. Due to a gas called ethylene released by several fruits and vegetables, storing it near other fruits like bananas can cause it to move from ripe to overripe to ruined eggplant in a matter of hours. You may freeze eggplant and keep it for up to a year if you want to save it for an extended period. Wash, blanch in boiling water, then douse in cold water, dry, and place whole or sliced eggplant in a vacuum-sealed bag to freeze. Suppose you don’t have a vacuum sealer; attempt to remove as much air as possible before sealing and placing it in a freezer bag. Eggplant can also be pickled, dehydrated, and cooked into a storage-friendly recipe.
How To Pick The Best Eggplants?
- Using your senses of sight, touch, and smell is the best and easiest way to pick eggplants.
- Choose an eggplant that is a deep but vivid purple, glossy, and not wrinkled at all from the produce stand. The skin of the eggplant will appear taut.
- It’s better to pass over an eggplant that has become brown or yellow, has faded, or whose skin appears dull or otherwise old.
- After that, use your fingertips to test the hardness of the eggplant. The eggplant should be so solid that you can’t press it in any farther; there should be no give. Leave it if there is any, or if your finger penetrates through the eggplant skin.
- Again, raw eggplant has no discernible odor, so if you get a solid vegetal whiff, something isn’t quite right.
Conclusion
You can also check the eggplant’s smell. It should be firm and without a distinct smell. If it’s not firm, it’s too old. It should also have green skin. If it is brown, then it hasn’t gone well. It has turned out to be too expensive for us. But we can still eat it! But we should be cautious about the appearance of our food. The best way to tell if an eggplant is spoiled is to inspect it closely.
