Can you eat an overripe peach?
In this brief guide, we will answer the question “Can you eat an overripe peach?” and discuss how to tell if a peach has gone bad. We will also discuss how to store peaches properly and if you can freeze them. We will also tell you a couple of things that you can do with overripe peaches.
Can you eat an overripe peach?
Yes, you can eat an overripe peach. Overripe peaches are mushy and bruised but they are very flavorful and very sweet. The texture may not be very appealing to you so you can use them for other things such as in cooking or baking desserts and making smoothies.
What else can you do with overripe peaches?
Overripe peaches may not have a very appealing texture but you should not throw them away. However you should always make sure there are no signs of spoilage before you consume them to avoid getting sick.
There are a lot of things that you can do with overripe peaches such as making smoothies, using them to make desserts such as peach pie or ice cream. You can also use them to make jams and purees.
How to tell if a peach has gone bad?
Overripe peaches are different from spoiled peaches. You need to make sure that your overripe peaches are not spoiled before eating them so that you do not get sick. Here’s how you can tell if a peach has gone bad.
- Fresh and ripe peaches have a yellow, golden and crimson tint. Look for any discolorations or bruises because that could mean that the peaches have been spoiled.
- Next, squeeze the peach a little to check its firmness. Unripe peaches are hard while ripe peaches have a little give when squeezed. Spoiled peaches will be very mushy to the point that they bruise or get squished when you squeeze them a little. If this is the case then you should not use such peaches.
- Also look for any liquid oozing out of it because that is a sign that the peach has gone bad.
- Give it a sniff test and see if it smells sweet and fresh. Bad odor is a sign that the peach has gone bad.
How to store peaches?
If your peaches are unripe, then you should store them on the countertop at room temperature. You can also place them inside a paper bag to speed up the ripening process. For even faster ripening, you can place an apple or a banana with them inside the paper bag.
All these fruits produce ethylene gas which gets trapped inside the paper bag and helps ripen the peaches faster.
It takes about 1 to 3 days for the peaches to ripen. You can make sure whether they are ripe or not by squeezing them a little. Ripe patches have a little give.
Once they are ripe, you can store them at room temperature in a sealable bag with holes or sealing it loosely. You can also store them in the refrigerator in the same way. Do not stack peaches over one another since they can bruise. They can stay fresh for about 5 days when kept in the fridge.
Sliced peaches can oxidize very quickly so it is better to consume them as quickly as possible after cutting them. However if you wish to store them for later, do so in a ziploc bag or an airtight container and then place them in the fridge.
Can you freeze peaches?
Yes, you can freeze peaches. Since they do not have a very long shelf life, you can freeze them if you have them in bulk so that they remain fresh.
For storing the peaches in the freezer, cut them up into slices and place them onto a sheet pan. Let them freeze completely in the freezer and then transfer them into a freezer safe bag or an airtight container and freeze them again.
Learn how to thaw frozen peaches here.
Other FAQs about Peaches that you may be interested in.
Can you eat peaches with worms?
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we answered the question “Can you eat an overripe peach?” and discussed how to tell if a peach has gone bad. We also discussed how to store peaches properly and if you can freeze them. We also told you a couple of things that you can do with overripe peaches.
Citations
https://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-season/how-to-store-peaches
https://ovenvia.com/is-it-ok-to-eat-overripe-peach/
https://www.mashed.com/239300/you-should-never-throw-out-overripe-peaches-heres-why/
