How can you tell if an avocado is bad?

View hidden comment
This post was sourced from submitted reader questions and posted by wikiHow Editorial Staff, based on our article: How to Tell if an Avocado is Bad .

Expert Comments

04/09/25 6:39pm
Wondering if an avocado is okay to eat? Here's how to tell if an avocado is bad.
  • Overly soft skin: Gently apply pressure to the avocado with your hand. A ripe avocado will yield slightly, but you'll leave an indentation in a bad avocado.
  • Wrinkles, mold, or odor: If the avocado skin has wrinkles, marks, severe dents, visible mould, or a rancid odor, the avocado is bad. Many avocado skins turn dark green or purple when ripe.
  • Brown or black flesh: Cut the avocado open and look for a light green color. If the flesh is black or brown, the avocado is bad.
Have tips for how to tell if an avocado is bad? Share them in the comments below!
View hidden comment

What’s on your mind? Ask anything.

Get advice and feedback from experts and wikiHow readers just like you.

Ask a Question