How to Tell if Your Carrots Are Bad

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Wondering how to know if carrots are bad? No worries—we’ve got you covered with plenty of handy advice on whether your carrots are still safe to eat. We’ve even included some tips and tricks on how to safely refrigerate and freeze your carrots, so they can stay fresh and delicious for as long as possible.

Section 1 of 7:

Signs That Carrots Are Bad

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  1. If baby carrots are slimy, are they bad? Yes—sliminess means that your carrots are past their prime. [1]
    • It’s not worth peeling off the outer slimy layer and salvaging the rest of the carrot. If your baby carrots are slimy in the bag, you’re better off just getting a new, fresh package that isn’t spoiled.
  2. Have you noticed some dark spots or black lines on carrots? These could be signs of black root rot or Alternaria leaf blight. Thinner, dark brown lines usually signify crown rot. [2] It’s never a good idea to eat or cook with rotted vegetables.
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  3. Carrots taste best when they’re firm and crunchy, but they’re still safe to eat when they have a more rubbery texture. It’s soft and mushy carrots that you want to be on the look-out for—these carrots are spoiled and not safe to eat. [3]
    • Baby carrots sometimes get rubbery when they aren’t sealed and stored properly, but they aren’t dangerous to eat.
  4. A stinky, rotten smell is a classic sign that your carrots have gone bad. Before grabbing any carrots from your bag, take a quick whiff. If something doesn’t smell quite right, toss out the carrots and buy a new, fresh bag. [4]
  5. Carrots often fall victim to white mold, which can look fuzzy and patchy on the surface of the vegetable. [5] As you probably assumed, moldy carrots are not safe to eat and need to be tossed out right away.
    • Some people suggest cutting off the moldy sections and using the rest of the vegetable, but that isn’t a good idea. Moldy foods often carry a lot of bacteria, which can potentially make you really sick. [6]
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Section 2 of 7:

Do carrots go bad?

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  1. They can last for several weeks when stored correctly, but all carrots expire eventually and become unsafe safe to eat. Thankfully, there are plenty of telltale signs that signal when your carrots need to be thrown out. [7]
Section 3 of 7:

Can I eat expired carrots?

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  1. The “Use By” label means that a food item won’t necessarily be of great quality past the date—but a slightly expired date doesn’t automatically mean your carrots are bad. [8] Feel free to crunch away on your carrots if you don’t detect any slime, mold, funky smell, dark spots, or mushy texture.
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Section 4 of 7:

Should carrots stay out at room temperature?

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  1. Whole, baby, unpeeled, and peeled carrots all stay the freshest and crunchiest when they’re stored in the refrigerator, so it’s not a good idea to leave them out on your counter. [9]
Section 5 of 7:

How long are carrots good for in the fridge?

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  1. [10] However, your carrot shelf life really depends on the type of carrot that you have. Here’s a general timeline of when carrots go bad:
    • Whole carrots: After 2 weeks [11]
    • Baby carrots: After 2-3 weeks [12]
    • Cut carrots: After 3 weeks
    • Peeled carrots: After 3 weeks
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Section 6 of 7:

How to Refrigerate Carrots

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  1. Slice off any stems or leaves still attached to your carrots. Then, cover up the carrots with a moist paper towel and slide them in a sealable plastic bag. Close up the bag so it’s totally secure, stick it in the refrigerator, and use the carrots within 2 weeks for maximum freshness. [13]
  2. Baby carrots are usually packaged in a plastic bag that’s filled with a little bit of water—this keeps them from drying out. Once you’ve opened up the original bag, you’re better off sticking them in a sealable plastic bag to optimize the carrot’s shelf life. Enjoy your carrots within 2-3 weeks after storing them in the refrigerator. [14]
    • You can also transfer your baby carrots to a sealable container or wrap them up tightly with a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil. The key is making sure that they don’t dry out!
    • Baby carrots are pre-peeled, which makes them more prone to drying out than whole, unpeeled carrots.
  3. Cover the sliced carrots with cool, damp paper towel. Then, stick the bundle in a sealable, airtight container. For maximum freshness, keep the container tucked either in the back of your fridge or in the crisper drawer. [15]
    • Cut carrots are good for about 3 weeks when you store them properly.
  4. Rinse off your carrots with fresh, cool water so they’re nice and clean. Then, fill up an airtight container at least halfway with cool water—you just need enough to fully submerge your carrots. Transfer your carrots into the water bath, seal the container, and then stick them in the refrigerator for no more than 3 weeks.
    • Drain and refill the container with fresh, clean water once every 4-5 days so your carrots don’t go bad.
    • Always rinse off your carrots after you take them out of the water bath.
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Section 7 of 7:

How to Freeze Carrots

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  1. Rinse off the carrots, slice off the tops, and peel away the skin (if you’re working with whole carrots). Then, pour the carrots into a pot of boiling water, letting them sit for 3-5 minutes. [16]
    • Blanching helps the carrots taste fresh even after they’re in the freezer for several months.
    • Sliced carrots are good to go after 2 minutes in the boiling water, while entire carrots take 5 minutes to fully blanch. [17]
  2. Scoop up the blanched carrots with a slotted spoon and let them soak in the cold water for 3-5 minutes, or however long they blanched for. Then, pour out the ice water and transfer the veggies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. [18]
  3. Grab a clean cloth or paper towel and blot any away any leftover ice water from the carrots. Once they’re all dry, stick the blanched carrots into a sealable plastic bag. [19]
    • It may help to label the bag with the current date so you don’t forget how old the carrots are.
  4. Carrots can last for a while in the freezer, so it’s okay if you forget about them for a few months. [20]
    • Baby carrots can stay fresh for up to 18 months, though it’s okay if you freeze them for a little longer than that. [21]
  5. Move the bag to your refrigerator the night before you plan on eating or cooking the frozen carrots—they’ll be thawed and good to go by the next day. If you’re in a rush, stick the carrots in a cool water bath. Just be sure to drain and replace the water every 30 minutes so it stays cold!
    • Keep an eye on the temperature of your carrots as they thaw. Bacteria tends to rapidly form in temperatures higher than 40 °F (4 °C).
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Are limp carrots safe to eat?
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Ollie George Cigliano is a Private Chef, Food Educator, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks, based in Long Beach, California. With over 20 years of experience, she specializes in utilizing fresh, fun ingredients and mixing traditional and innovative cooking techniques. Ollie George holds a BA in Comparative Literature from The University of California, Berkeley, and a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from eCornell University.
    Ollie George Cigliano
    Private Chef & Food Educator
    Expert Answer
    Yes! Limp carrots are typically just dehydrated. Submerge the carrots in ice-cold water until the crispness is reconstituted.
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      Tips

      • When they get dried out, baby carrots develop a dry, white outer layer that’s known as “white blush.” They’re perfectly safe to eat, but they might taste fresher if you soak them in a bowl of water for a couple of minutes.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/
      2. ↑ https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/carrots-identifying-diseases
      3. ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/food_waste_tips
      4. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/
      5. ↑ https://ag.umass.edu/vegetable/fact-sheets/carrots-identifying-diseases
      6. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-happens-if-you-eat-moldy-food/
      7. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/
      8. ↑ https://www.consumerreports.org/food-safety/how-to-tell-whether-expired-food-is-safe-to-eat-a1083080425/
      9. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/hni15_carrots.pdf
      1. ↑ https://extension.purdue.edu/foodlink/food.php?food=carrot
      2. ↑ https://extension.purdue.edu/foodlink/food.php?food=carrot
      3. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/
      4. ↑ https://extension.purdue.edu/foodlink/food.php?food=carrot
      5. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/
      6. ↑ https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-to-freeze-carrots
      7. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/vegetable/freezing-carrots/
      8. ↑ https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/vegetable/freezing-carrots/
      9. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/vegetable-blanching-directions-and-times-home-freezer-storage
      10. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/hni15_carrots.pdf
      11. ↑ https://extension.umn.edu/preserving-and-preparing/vegetable-blanching-directions-and-times-home-freezer-storage
      12. ↑ https://blogs.extension.iastate.edu/answerline/2019/03/07/baby-carrots-myth-and-facts/

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