Can I eat this? Old radish slices.

April 30, 2014 4:19 PM

I have a package of pre-sliced red radishes that say "best by 4/23/14". I wanted to roast them up alongside some other veggies for dinner, but when I opened the package the white faces of the radish slices are very slightly discolored grayish with a little bit of brighter white spots. They feel a little dry but not dessicated, certainly not slimy, and they don't smell.

Are these ok to roast and eat, or have they grown some kind of deadly radish fungus? I prefer not to risk a stomach-ache for a $3 bag of radishes, but on the other hand I was kind of looking forward to them.

What do you think?

posted by Serene Empress Dork to Food & Drink (12 answers total)

They're okay to eat, but radishes are best roasted whole (or halved, if they're large). I think that sliced, they'd burn or dessicate if you roast them.

Why not saute them in a little butter? That'll perk 'em up.
posted by mudpuppie at 4:24 PM on April 30, 2014

Eat 'em. Give them a good shake in olive oil and roast them!
posted by arnicae at 4:25 PM on April 30, 2014

I think any food that has turned grey that was not originally intended to be grey is in the "don't eat" category.
posted by Sara C. at 4:36 PM on April 30, 2014 [3 favorites]

Cut one open...I'll bet they're still white inside.
posted by xingcat at 4:55 PM on April 30, 2014

The "slightly discolored" doesn't phase me (likely oxidation) but the bright white spots do. Do the spots feel different than the rest of the radish if you pick at them? Powdery or soft? If they do, I would not eat them.

I'm not really a huge radish fan, though, so I might be less willing to eat moldy radishes than a radish lover.
posted by Juliet Banana at 4:57 PM on April 30, 2014

I am generally willing to eat very old vegetables, but these I would not eat. The bright white spots are alarming, and they're a full week past their sell-by date. That would be fine if they were whole, but pre-slicing can introduce bacteria (in addition to speeding up oxidation, which is really just a cosmetic problem).
posted by dizziest at 5:03 PM on April 30, 2014

I suggest that your dinner will be more delicious without them.
posted by Riverine at 5:07 PM on April 30, 2014 [2 favorites]

I try to eat all of my produce in time, but I would not eat these, just because they don't seem appealing. Whole radishes, sure, sliced ones that have turned grey? Nope. When I want fresh veggies, I want fresh veggies. I do the same with baby arugula: if it's turning yellow, bye-bye.

Sometimes we mess up and forget about stuff, but that doesn't mean you have to eat it. Live and learn and go for whole radishes next time; they will keep longer.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 5:17 PM on April 30, 2014

I pay little attention to dates with produce, I let the vegetables or fruit speak for themselves. These are past what I would want to eat, as I've found once any vegetable starts to discolor there is a sharp drop in quality. These just don't sound tasty.
posted by Aranquis at 5:46 PM on April 30, 2014

in my experience radishes last much longer than one assumes
do they smell moldy? if not, go for it.
unless you feel ooky about enjoying them, then throw them out.
posted by mandymanwasregistered at 9:17 PM on April 30, 2014

I eat all sorts of stuff with wanton disregard for "best by" dates, but I would never in my life eat radishes tinged with gray and white spots. And I love radishes.
posted by univac at 11:49 PM on April 30, 2014

Response by poster: Well, I went ahead and threw them in with my roasted veggie medley. Unfortunately none of the veggies turned out very well as I overcrowded the pan and they didn't really "roast" properly. The radishes tasted ok, but the whole mess of veggies just got mushy.

However, I did eat some including the radishes, and I lived to tell the tale with no stomach issues to speak of. In case any future radish-questioners are wondering.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 8:33 AM on May 1, 2014