How to Know if That Avocado Is Safe to Eat

Mold. Mold on avocados is generally white or gray and looks fuzzy. Don’t sniff it, as you may inhale mold spores and trigger breathing problems if you’re allergic to it.

Avoid buying avocados with mold on the exterior, as it can penetrate the flesh and cause decay.

If you cut open an avocado and see mold, discard the entire fruit. Though you may only see mold in one area, it can easily spread through the soft flesh. Don’t attempt to salvage it.

So then, how do I know that I may not need to toss my avocado? Basically, there’s just one scenario: If the dark spot on the flesh is from a bruise. If it still smells good, is firm-ish, there’s no mold or dark streaks, then it’s safe to eat. But I think this scenario is more common than we realize, and I’ve tossed a lot of just bruised, still-good-to-eat avocados in my day. Dang!