Carrots are at the top of the list when it comes to healthy vegetables. They are particularly good for the eyes, often depicted in famous cartoon Bugs Bunny’s as well. Similarly, they are extremely delicious and used in different kinds of dishes. They offer an abundance of minerals and nutrients as well. However, bad carrots may also be harmful to your health. But – how to tell if carrots are bad and if you should throw them away?
Carrots are organic and therefore, do not have any expiry date. They can go bad within days or last for weeks depending on the storage type and conditions. For example, they remain fresh for a few days in a pantry. Similarly, you should not keep them on the countertop for more than 3-5 days. Always ensure they are safe to eat if they have been sitting in the open for such as time. You can also refrigerate carrots if you want to perverse them for months.
Do Carrots Go Bad?
Carrots are excellent for your overall health, especially for your eyes. Therefore, you should try to include them as much in your diet as possible. Fresh vegetables and fruits do not have an expiry date and the same is true for carrots. However, all fresh products will expire eventually. How long carrots take to expire depends on the storage. Bad carrots not only lose all their taste, texture, and nutrients but can also develop mold and harmful bacteria. As a result, you should refrain from eating expired carrots.
You must store your carrots properly to preserve their flavor and freshness.
How to Tell if Carrots are Bad?
Bad carrots have some specific signs indicating they are no longer edible. Some of these signs are as below.
Bad Smell
Carrots, like all foods, have a sour smell when they go bad. Fresh carrots do not have any smell or odor. The bad smell also indicates that bacteria have invaded carrots and you must not eat them.
Change in Texture
Fresh carrots are hard, dry, and unbendable. Expired carrots have a considerably different texture. They are loose, gummy, and stretchable. The appearance of the peel also changes. It becomes difficult to peel carrots with a knife. These carrots are useless and should be discarded.
Dried Leaves
Carrots have their green parts such as leaves with them when you buy them from farmers and supermarkets. You must remove them as soon as you get home. Leaves can make carrots hard and dry by absorbing most of their moisture.
Another tip to keep your carrots moist and fresh for long period is to peel them after they have been boiled.
White Spots
Sometimes, white spots appear on the carrots mainly because of shrinking moisture. Carrots with white spots are not expired. However, you cannot store them for long as well. Use them as early as you can. Similarly, they are devoid of any nutrients and minerals even though they are not bad.
Mold
Every vegetable including carrots tends to develop mold if not stored properly. The biggest indication of mold growth is black spots on the carrots. You can remove the affected area and use the rest. However, you never know how much mold has encroached on the carrots. Therefore, this practice is not recommended. You should just discard the carrots if you see black spots.
How Long Can Carrots Last?
There are many benefits of eating carrots and therefore, you should try your best to preserve them. The type of storage and its condition determines the shelf life of carrots. They will remain fresh for weeks in case of proper storage. On the other hand, they can spoil within 24 hours if storage is improper. Carrots can go bad quickly if you keep them near foods that release ethylene such as apples and bananas.
The following chart explains how long carrots can last if you use different storage methods.
| Types of Carrots | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
| Raw whole | 3 to 5 days | 4 to 5 weeks | 6 to 9 months |
| Dehydrated | Up to a year | Unsafe | Not recommended |
| Baby carrots | 3 to 5 days | 3 to 4 weeks | 6 to 9 months |
| Cooked carrots | Unsafe | 1 week | 6 to 9 months |
| Sliced in water | Unsafe | 6 to 8 weeks | Not recommended |
As you can see in the above table, different types of carrots last for different periods depending on the storage conditions. You do not need to refrigerate raw carrots for up to 5 days. They will not go bad on the countertop during that period. However, you can extend their life for 9 months by freezing them.
Cooked carrots spoil earlier than raw carrots. You can only freeze them for a week. Similarly, they will expire on the countertop or at room temperature within a few hours.
How Long can Carrots Last in the Fridge?
You can also store carrots in the fridge. However, they will eventually expire even if refrigerated, necessitating proper storage.
Raw Carrots
Raw carrots will not go bad in the fridge for two to three weeks. The condition is proper storage. Pack them in plastic bags or wrap them with plastic sheets to keep them fresh. You can also stretch their freshness by putting them in a bowl full of water.
Baby Carrots
Baby carrots will go quickly compared to fully grown carrots. For example, they will start going bad after 5 days in the fridge. This is because they can lose their moisture quite quickly. Therefore, putting a damp paper towel in the plastic bag used to store baby carrots is best.
Cooked Carrots
Just like baby carrots, you should not keep cooked carrots in a fridge for more than 3-5 days. Similarly, always store them in an airtight container. Cooked vegetables have excessive moisture which expedites the process of spoilage.
How to Tell if Bagged Carrots are Bad?
You can also buy bagged carrots from the market. Fresh carrots do not have an expiry date but bagged carrots do. However, it is not easy to know whether or not the bad carrots have expired.
The following are some tips to ensure you are not eating bad carrots.
Check the Bag
A punctured or damaged bag almost essentially means the carrots are bad or at least not fresh. Carrots may already have started decomposing due to invading bacteria and moisture. Just throw them away if the bags have damages, tears, holes, etc.
Inspect the Carrots
Bagged carrots display the same signs of spoilage as open carrots. You can check for these signs through the bag. Carrots are bad if they look slimy, gummy, loose, or saggy. Similarly, they should have a fresh smell. If not, they have likely gone bad. The appearance of black or white spots and discoloration also means they are no longer edible.
Check the Expiry Date
Expiry dates are written on the bags. Check for the date if bagged carrots have been in your fridge for a long time. However, you should also check the expiry date of newly bought carrots. Eating carrots passed their expiry date is not advisable. Instead, you should throw them away.
Also Read: How to Reheat Pizza in Toaster Oven for a Crispy Delight?
Frequently Asked Questions
What do bad carrots taste like?
You will experience a soapy, weird, and sour taste while eating expired carrots. Similarly, they have a foul smell. Fresh carrots are delicious to eat and have a juicy and sweet taste. They have a crunchy texture, unlike bad carrots with a slimy and saggy texture.
What happens when you eat bad carrots?
Eating bad carrots is strictly prohibited. You can develop symptoms like bad stomach or even food poisoning. As a result, you can suffer from problems like diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, nausea, and fever.
Are soft carrots OK to eat?
Soft carrots necessarily do not mean spoiled carrots. You can eat them if they do not have other signs of mold or spoilage. However, they should never be slimy or gummy.
What I can do with expired carrots?
Expired carrots that show signs of spoilage should not be eaten. Instead, they can be composted to reduce waste and contribute to a sustainable garden.
Is it OK to eat carrots that are sprouting?
Eating carrots that are sprouting is generally safe as long as the carrots still appear firm and show no signs of spoilage, such as softness or discoloration.
Final Thoughts
Now, you know how to tell if carrots are bad. Carrots are one of the most common vegetables in the world. They are also very delicious to eat. Unfortunately, they can and will go bad after some time. But – spotting bad carrots is quite easy.
Eating expired carrots can result in food poisoning and other diseases and therefore, you should never eat them. Top of Form