On those once-in-a-blue-moon days when you decide to cook from scratch, you must also be vigilant about your ingredients.
A fresh cauliflower1 comes to mind whenever we think of a versatile vegetable. But before consuming it, it is mandatory to know whether cauliflower has rotted.
This is because spoiled cauliflower should not be consumed, if you are wondering how to know if cauliflower is bad, given below are the sure signs of spoilage that you should look for in a cauliflower.
1. How do you know if Cauliflower is bad?
You should understand that not all spots on cauliflower indicate that a cauliflower is bad. A fresh cauliflower does not have an unpleasant smell and is firm.
On the other hand, rotten and bad cauliflower smells bad and is not safe to eat either.
1.1. Bad Smell of a Cauliflower
A bad smell is a good indicator of cauliflower spoilage. You can tell whether cauliflower is safe to eat by its bad, strong smell. If it gives a strong smell, it is a sign that your cauliflower is in the early rotting stage.
The smell of food can speak volumes about the bacterial growth in it that is no longer edible. It may not be very serious if you notice an unpleasant or odd smell.
If the cauliflower’s smell gets intolerable, it is a tell-tale sign that it is not safe and edible. So, when the cauliflower starts rotting2, it’s better to discard it.
1.2. Its Slimy Texture
One sure indicator that a cauliflower has gone bad is when its texture gets slimy. Slime is usually dark brown or black; it is common for certain vegetables to produce slime if kept in a fridge for long.
The dark brown or black coloured slime is a sign that your cauliflower has rotten and is not safe for consumption. However, you can cut out the affected parts, like the mushy texture, and eat the rest of the cauliflower.
If the cauliflower florets get a mushy texture, then your cauliflower is no longer fresh. However, if you still decide to consume the cauliflower, cut cauliflower florets. The head of cauliflower should always feel firm when you touch it.
If the head of cauliflower is not tightly packed with fresh and crisp leaves, then the cauliflower has gone bad. You have to look out for texture changes before you eat cauliflower.
If the head of cauliflower is soft and mushy with sticky leaves and the florets getting squishy, then the cauliflower should not be consumed.
1.3. Mold Growth in a Cauliflower
If bread has mould growth, you should be sure it is starting to rot. The same is the scenario with a spoiled cauliflower3. The mould will look a bit fuzzy on cauliflower, and there will be brown or black spots.
You might be shocked to know that mould spores are so tiny that you won’t be able to see them with your naked eye.
They float around you, but you are unaware of them because of their tiny size. Once your food gets contaminated by them, they turn brown or black and start spreading rapidly.
At first, they might not be visible on your food, and in that case, they might not harm you, but as soon as they start getting visible, it is a strong indicator that they are rapidly spreading on your food. That is a reason to be concerned about and discard your cauliflower.
If you are willing to cut the affected parts with a sharp knife and eat the rest unaffected, you can also do that.
However, you should be conscious about consuming them, too, because there might be microscopic mould growth on those parts that are not yet visible to your naked eye.
1.4. If the Cauliflower Has Got Brown Spots
It might happen because of oxidative decay if you notice brown spots on a cauliflower. For example, if someone chops an apple and lets it be exposed to the air, it will turn brown.
The soft spots of light brown colour are a result of oxidation. However, the light brown spots do not mean the apple is not fresh. It is perfectly safe and good to eat.
A fresh cauliflower should be bright white. It is a sure sign that it is spoiling if it starts turning yellow. So, notice and do not let it turn yellow by preparing a meal beforehand or storing it properly.
Similarly, if cauliflower develops soft spots and has no unpleasant odour, it indicates that it is still edible. You can just cut off the affected areas with black spots as they are just on the external area and eat the rest.
1.5. Soft Spots On the Cauliflower
One indicator that a cauliflower has gone bad and is not safe to eat is if it starts developing soft spots. This happens when a raw cauliflower is trying to break down because of too much moisture.
Mostly, cauliflower comes tightly wrapped in plastic, which is fine when it gets shipped by the grocery store but not when kept in a fridge.
If you want to store cauliflower in a fridge and ensure it retains its best quality, then you must take certain steps. Make sure to store cauliflower in a loose plastic bag.
1.6. Taste
You can eat cauliflower to see if it is rotten. If the cauliflower tastes sour and rancid, you should throw it away to avoid potential health risks.
2. How Long Does Cauliflower Last?
If you are confused about how long cauliflower lasts, cauliflower comes in the list of vegetables with a good shelf life. Generally, other veggies like broccoli do not have a good shelf life and will go bad quickly in almost 3-4 days.
However, it is important to freeze cauliflower to stay fresh in the fridge for at least 2-3 weeks. If you do not want your cauliflower to go bad, the best way to store it is in the crisper drawer in your fridge.
If you plan to keep it with other vegetables at room temperature, avoid it. In that way, it will last for just 3-4 days. If the cauliflower is stored properly in a fridge, its shelf life will extend from 3-4 days to around three weeks.
3. How do you know that Cauliflower Rice has Soiled?
If you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle and cut off sugar and carbs from your meals, cauliflower rice, and similar recipes are a good alternative.
Once you are done preparing cauliflower rice, make sure to store it properly in an airtight jar or container. If the cauliflower rice is kept in an airtight container in a fridge, the chances increase for it to last longer.
If you keep an uncooked cauliflower in a sealed bag, then it will last only three to four days. However, if you want to know if the cooked cauliflower rice has gone bad, you can smell it.
If the cooked cauliflower rice smells unpleasant, discard it as it has gone bad.
4. How to Freeze Cauliflower?
If you think your cauliflower may have rot, you can look for the signs mentioned above to be sure of it. You can use it for meal prep if it has ruled out all the signs.
Make sure that the florets are chopped into bite-sized pieces before keeping them in the freezer.
Closing Thoughts
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable4, you can eat it raw or cooked in many forms. It can be cooked, roasted, boiled, steamed, and even sauteed.
When you pick a cauliflower, there are certain signs that you should look for. The cauliflower head must be firm and not slimy, and the leaves should be bright green and not yellow.
Hopefully, you got the answers to all your questions in this article. Have fun cooking!
FAQs
1. How does a bad cauliflower smell?
A bad cauliflower smells sour or pungent, similar to rotten eggs. This smell is because certain microorganisms, as well as bacteria, start forming on the cauliflower.
2. Is it okay to eat cauliflower with black spots on it?
If the cauliflower has developed small dark spots because of oxidation, it is okay to cut it off and then consume the cauliflower. However, if the spots are extensive and the whole head is soft and mushy, you should discard them.
3. What happens if I eat a bad cauliflower?
You can notice symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting if you consume a bad cauliflower. You can have a fever or other foodborne illness as well.
- Ahmed, Fouad A., and Rehab FM Ali. “Bioactive compounds and antioxidant activity of fresh and processed white cauliflower.” BioMed research international 2013 (2013). ↩︎
- Singh, S. L., & Pavgi, M. S. (1977). Aphanomyces root rot of cauliflower. Mycopathologia, 61(3), 167-172. ↩︎
- Dhall, R. K., S. R. Sharma, and B. V. C. Mahajan. “Effect of packaging on storage life and quality of cauliflower stored at low temperature.” Journal of Food Science and Technology 47 (2010): 132-135. ↩︎
- Murillo, Genoveva, and Rajendra G. Mehta. “Cruciferous vegetables and cancer prevention.” Nutrition and cancer 41.1-2 (2001): 17-28. ↩︎
Last Updated on by Sathi
