Help! My Cauliflower is Turning Black and Brown, Can I Still Eat It?

If you have ever bought cauliflower, no doubt you are familiar with the problem of brown and black spots developing on the vegetable's curds. So, what's the deal? Should we still eat the cauliflower?

I buy cauliflower regularly as part of the vegetable medley package that also includes carrots and broccoli. It seems the cauliflower starts to turn black or brown pretty quickly and sometimes the discoloration has already started when I make the purchase.

So, what do you do about it?

There seems to be quite a bit of discussion on this wide-spread problem, and finding definitive answers is pretty difficult.

Most commonly, people say just trim or scrape off the discolored areas and you will be fine. Others say, there is nothing wrong with just eating it anyway.

I think the best and more reliable information comes from the International Produce Training website. The site says the longer cauliflower is stored the more likely it is to oxidize and discolor. Although the discoloration is a prelude to decay, they say the discoloration is harmless.

To help prevent this discoloration, it is suggested that you don't wash the cauliflower until right before cooking or eating it because the moisture can cause brown spots to develop.

It's also suggested you store the cauliflower upside down to keep moisture from forming on the sprout tips.

Ultimately, If the  dark spots bother you, feel free to cut them off and enjoy a blemish free vegetable. Yes, you can still eat it, but do you really want to??