Recently, many people have stockpiled a lot of vegetables and fruits, but after a long time to open it, there may be some subtle changes: potatoes sprout, banana mangoes turn black, mushrooms grow hairy... At this time, the experience of life tells us to be careful about these changes, but the virtue of frugality makes people reluctant to throw them away.
Vegetables and fruits have these changes, can they still be eaten? Regarding these issues, we have compiled a list that everyone can compare, avoid risks, and eat with peace of mind.
After all, the hard-earned dishes can't be wasted, but we can't eat ourselves badly.
01
Potato sprouts can be poisonous, do not eat
Potatoes themselves have a trace amount of toxic substances "dragon sunflower" (also called solanine), which has a strong irritation to the gastrointestinal mucosa, and also has a toxic effect on the central nervous system, but the content is very low in normal state, so it is safe for fresh potatoes to be cooked and eaten.
Once the potatoes begin to sprout and change color (bluish-purple), the content of longanin will rise significantly, and when it reaches 10 to 15 mg/100 g, it will have a distinctly bitter taste; when it exceeds 20 mg/100 g, there is a risk of poisoning or teratogenicity after consumption.
It is difficult for our naked eye to judge the content of dragon annulin in sprouted potatoes, and it is also difficult to judge whether the total amount eaten is beyond the safe range. Therefore, it is recommended that if you find that potatoes sprout or turn green, do not eat them.
If you want the potatoes to sprout a little later, you need to pay attention to avoiding light and low temperatures. Areas with low room temperature should be wrapped in a newspaper and other shading materials when placed outside the house. Of course, if the refrigerator is large enough, it is safest to put it in the refrigerator.
02
Sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, taro, although the long buds are not poisonous, but pay attention to whether they are mildew
Sweet potatoes, purple potatoes and taro, although similar to potatoes, are all tubers with high starch content, but they do not produce toxic substances when they germinate, and there is no risk in themselves.
But the environmental conditions suitable for their germination are also suitable for the growth and reproduction of molds, which may produce toxins, such as germinated sweet potatoes may contain sweet potatoone.
Be sure to check carefully before eating, once you find abnormalities such as mold, don't eat it again.
A tip: if you find sweet potato purple potato moldy, don't throw it, you can find a pot to plant, the harvested sweet potato leaves are a very good green leafy vegetable.
03
Ginger, garlic, onions, radish, sprouted can be eaten
For such vegetables that can be stored at room temperature and are relatively resistant, there will be no toxins when germinating, and generally will not be accompanied by mildew and decay, which is relatively safe.
However, germination will affect the taste and flavor, such as the taste will become lighter, the texture will become dry and fibrous, and the taste will become "bran", "chai", etc.
For garlic and onions, germination may lead to new discoveries. If you are not in a hurry to eat it and the gardening level is good, you can "raise" them, then there will be garlic seedlings and onion seedlings (like onions that are not so strong) to eat in the future.
04
The peel of bananas and mangoes turns black, and the flesh can be eaten without problems
Fruits such as bananas and mangoes will continue to breathe after harvesting, and the polyphenols in the peel will produce melanin substances under the action of oxygen and their own enzymes, which accumulate to become the "black spots or dark spots" we see.
In addition, if bananas and mangoes encounter mechanical damage such as bumps or low-temperature frostbite, the peel will also turn brown and black. In these cases, as long as the peel is still intact and the flesh is not damaged and discolored, it can be eaten normally.
But pay attention to eating as soon as possible, because the fruit at this time is easily invaded by microorganisms, and then put it down may not be really good.
05
Chinese cabbage has small black spots, cauliflower has brown instead of black spots, and can be eaten
Some Cabbage outer leaves appear small black spots, this phenomenon is called "Cabbage Small Black Spot Disease", is a physiological disease caused by abnormal leaf nitrogen metabolism during the growth process of Chinese cabbage, and is not caused by pathogenic bacteria or pests.
This kind of cabbage with black spots is mainly poor in appearance, but the safety of consumption is not affected.
Sometimes the broccoli you buy is left for a long time, and the white flowers will turn brown. This is because the flower grain itself is brittle and tender, and lacks the protection of thick skin or hard shell, which is easily scratched during transportation or storage, resulting in tissue exposure, and phenolic substances are rapidly oxidized in the air and browned.
Such cauliflower can be eaten, but it should be eaten as soon as possible, if you mind the color, you can cut off the brown part and eat the rest.
However, if it is a dense black spot, it may be infected with streptomyces, which may produce toxic streptomyces toxins, such cauliflower is best not to eat, if you must eat, remember to expand the scope to remove the lesion part.
Image source: Network
06
Broccoli and cucumbers are yellow and can be eaten
(Guess why a green cucumber is called a "yellow" melon?) ）
In fact, the yellowing (yellowing) of such green vegetables is one of the main manifestations of fruit ripening and aging. In the process of storage, due to the demagnesification and degradation of chlorophyll, vegetables or fruits will lose their green color, and the yellow color of pigments such as lutein and carotene will gradually prevail.
Broccoli and cucumbers that just turn yellow but don't rot and spoil can be eaten normally, but the taste and nutrition will decrease.
07
The mushroom grows white fuzz, and it can be eaten without anything else
Mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms, apricot abalone mushrooms, and enoki mushrooms are fungi themselves, and the white villi produced during storage may be the white hyphae that grow when mushrooms continue to multiply and develop using their own sugars, amino acids and other nutrients.
Image source: Douban netizens
This mushroom should pay attention to the texture change of the mushroom, if the mushroom is still full of moisture, the state is relatively supportive, there is no peculiar smell, then you can eat with confidence, it is best to boil in hot water and then cook; if the mushroom has been soft and collapsed out of the water, there is a peculiar smell or the hair that grows is gray-green, it may be contaminated by other miscellaneous bacteria, do not eat.
08
The skin of the fruit is moldy, and the inside may also be contaminated, do not eat
Fruit is prone to mold, and sometimes we take a chance that only the peel mold has changed, or that only a small part of it is broken. But the truth is, mold may have invaded the inside of the fruit. The fruit is a high-moisture food, and the toxins produced by mold can be dissolved in the water, which is easy to spread quietly to other parts.
Studies have measured the normal-looking pulp 1 cm from the decaying part, but still detect toxins or hyphae of some mold.
That is to say, the fact that it does not look rotten does not mean that it is not contaminated with mold and its toxins, so do not eat moldy fruits. And the fruits near the moldy fruit may also be unseenly contaminated (such as the strawberries below), so don't eat it.
I'm afraid you can't remember, we also prepared a picture version, hurry up and collect it!
Image source: Dr. Lilac design team
Fresh fruits and vegetables can easily spoil, and the correct way of storing them is also important. During special periods, the order of consumption can also be arranged according to the degree of storage resistance.
For a look at the Lilac Life Institute's encyclopedia about hoarding methods: Collect Quickly! This way, the stockpiling of vegetables is enough to eat for a month (with a way to deal with the shortage of vegetables
This article is co-authored by experts
This article is reviewed by experts
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Guo H L, Wang H F, Lu Y R, et al. Study on infestation law of Streptomyces crosporidium during storage period of cauliflower[J]. Northern Horticulture, 2012(5):3.
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