How To Tell If Kiwi Is Bad

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How To Tell If Kiwi Is Bad?

Kiwi fruit, otherwise known as the Chinese gooseberry, is an edible species of berry that belongs to the Actinidia family.

A popular Kiwi variety is the Zespri Organic Kiwis which can be purchased online or at your favourite fruit and vegetable store.

The most common type of kiwi we eat is oval in shape, features a distinct brown skin, and has a delicious green pulp.

There’s a good chance you might know everything we’ve just told you about kiwis but what you might not know is how to tell if kiwi is bad. 

Generally speaking, it’s usually quite easy to spot if a piece of fruit has gone bad, however, when it comes to kiwis, things can be a little different especially when Kiwis are in season.

Kiwis already have a brown color so spotting marks and signs of mold can be harder.

Therefore, we’re here to tell you what to look for. In this post, we’ll show you three ways you can tell if a kiwi is bad.  

Let’s get started!

How Can You Tell If Your Kiwi Has Gone Bad?

We’ll get straight to the point by showing you the answers you came here looking for. Generally speaking, there are three different things you can do to identify the freshness of a kiwi. 

The three things you can do are:

1. Examine the kiwi

2. Smell the kiwi

3. Touch the pulp

By doing one or all of these things, you will be able to tell if your kiwi has gone bad or not. By examining the kiwi, you can check for any mold.

By smelling and touching the kiwi, you can determine its freshness.

We’ll now look at each method of checking a kiwi for freshness in more detail.

1. Examining The Kiwi

The first thing you should do if you suspect a kiwi has gone bad is examine it. This is a super simple thing to do and you don’t have to cut it open.

To examine your kiwi, pick it up and check the skin for any bruises or mold. Check the skin closely for any patches of brown or green mold. Mold may also appear fluffy with white flecks. 

If you find any signs of mold on your kiwi, it is fair to assume that the kiwi has gone off. In these instances, throw the kiwi away. Other indicators to look for are dry, mushy, or shriveled skin.

2. Smelling The Kiwi

If you can’t find any signs of mold or rot on the outside of your kiwi, you could try smelling it. A strong acidic smell is a sign that a kiwi might have gone off. 

You can smell the outside of the kiwi first to check for an acidic smell but you might have to cut it open and check the pulp too. 

If the skin or pulp has an acidic smell, don’t eat it!

A kiwi should have a fresh and citrusy smell.

3. Touching The Kiwi

Finally, you can also tell if a kiwi is bad or not by touching it. For this, you can either leave your kiwi uncut or open it up. We recommend leaving it uncut first before then cutting it open.

You can tell if an unopened kiwi is bad by gently squeezing it. If the kiwi is very hard, it is still unripe. On the flip side, if your kiwi is mushy, it is most likely bad.

After opening your kiwi, you can check its freshness by touching the pulp with your finger. If the pulp is soft and juicy, your kiwi is fresh. If it is dry, it has likely gone bad.

How To Tell If Kiwi Is Bad?

How To Stop Your Kiwis Going Bad

If you keep finding that your kiwis go bad very quickly, you need to find a way to keep them fresh. Luckily for you, we’re here to help with that too.

The best way to keep your kiwis fresh is to keep them in your refrigerator. Once your kiwis feel soft to touch, they are ripe. Leaving them out of a refrigerator will make them go bad quicker.

To store your kiwis in a refrigerator, place them in a plastic container or food bag and put them in the fridge. This will slow down the ripening process.

How Long Do Kiwis Last?

Usually, most ripe kiwi fruit will last for five to 10 days in a refrigerator. However, firmer kiwifruit can last for up to one month in a fridge.

With that in mind, you should always keep a close eye on the kiwis you put in your fridge too.

Can You Freeze Kiwis?

It might also be worth noting that kiwi fruit can be frozen too. In fact, freezing kiwis is a great way to preserve your fruit for use later in the year when kiwis might not be available in grocery stores.

You can freeze kiwis whole, sliced, or crushed.

How Long Do Kiwis Last In A Freezer?

In terms of how long you can store kiwis in a freezer, we recommend keeping them for no longer than three months. After three months, your kiwis will start to lose flavor and texture. 

Most people use their frozen kiwis to make smoothies because their texture does change quite dramatically. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Kiwis Last Out Of The Fridge?

Kiwis kept outside of a fridge don’t last as long. Typically, kiwis kept out of refrigeration will last two or three days.

How Long Does It Take Kiwi To Ripen In A Refrigerator?

Keeping a kiwi in a refrigerator will slow down the ripening process. You can expect it to take two or three days for a kiwi in a fridge to ripen.

Final Thoughts

Now you’ve made your way through this post, you should know how to tell if a kiwi has gone bad. Using the methods we’ve shown you, you can now check your kiwi and decide whether or not it is off.

We’ve also shown you how to store kiwis effectively to maximize freshness so you shouldn’t have any problems keeping your kiwis fresh either.

Further Recommendations:

Video: How to Tell if a Kiwi is Ripe

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