How long can avocado sit out?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “how long can avocado sit out” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of avocado at room temperature. Moreover, we are going to discuss the shelf life of avocados in the fridge and different ways to spot bad avocados.

So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.

How long can avocado sit out?

Ripe avocado lasts for about 2 hours when left out at room temperature. Moreover, once you have cut the avocado, it also lasts for about 2 hours at room temperature.

You should discard the avocado that has been left in open for more than 2 hours as bacterial growth takes place at a faster pace between the temperature of 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, therefore there are greater chances of the avocado being already contaminated with bacteria when left out for more than 2 hours.

Moreover, if the temperature of the surroundings is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then the process of spoilage takes place at a faster pace and it is recommended to discard avocado that is left out in the open for more than an hour at 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

The only exception to this case is the unripe avocado. When it comes to the unripe avocados, it is better to store them in a cool, dry, dark, and well-ventilated corner of the pantry so that they can ripe well. If you store your unripe avocados in the fridge then there are chances that they won’t ripe well.

Unripe, whole avocados last for about 2-7 days when they are stored in a cool, dry, and dark corner of your pantry away from direct sunlight and heat. It is worth mentioning that you should store your avocados in a well-ventilated place. Moreover, you should never store your avocados in a humid place, or else the excessive moisture content will mess up the quality and freshness of the avocado.

Moreover, when it comes to guacamole, homemade guacamole lasts for about 2 hours at room temperature. Bacteria grow at a faster pace between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit therefore it is recommended to discard the guacamole that is left in open for more than 2 hours as there is a great chance that the bacteria would have already spread over it and would have spoiled it.

If the outside temperature is 90 degrees Fahrenheit then the guacamole lasts for only about an hour when left out in the open. 

Shelf life of avocado in the fridge

Once your avocados have ripened, they last for about 3-5 days when they are stored properly in the fridge at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Moreover when you cut a whole avocado, its shelf life decreases owing to the now exposed surface of the cut avocado. 

As the cut avocado has a larger surface area therefore it provides more room for bacteria to grow on it. Therefore cut avocados last for about 2-4 days in the fridge when stored in a plastic zipper bag at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is worth mentioning that the figures mentioned above are the estimated shelf life of avocados.

You can read the health benefits of avocado here.

Different ways to spot bad avocados

There are a couple of indications that point out that your avocados have gone bad. You should consider the appearance, texture, and smell of the avocados to give a final verdict about whether or not avocados have gone bad.

Appearance

If you spot a mold or some organic growth on your avocado, then the best thing you can do in this scenario is to get rid of the whole avocado. 

Moreover, molds can also produce mycotoxins in an avocado that has gone bad and if you consume or even inhale these mycotoxins they can disturb your gut flora and can weaken your immune system.

Moreover, if there are brown spots or if the otherwise green-yellow color of the avocado has changed to brown, then it is recommended to discard such an avocado. 

Texture

If you find a lot of thick fibers in the avocado or if it is stringy, then it is better no to consume them. 

These avocados are not necessarily bad, they indicate that either they are the fruits of a young tree or they were not stored appropriately. So it is up to you whether you want to eat them or not.

Smell

If you smell off-smell or something that quite does not feel like the avocado itself when you take a sniff test then it is better to get rid of such avocado.

Tips to properly store avocados

  1. Do not wash or peel the fresh avocados until you are ready to eat them.
  1. If you want to prolong their shelf life then it is recommended to store them properly in the fridge.
  1. In case you want to keep the unripe avocados in the pantry, then you should store them in a well-ventilated space.
  1. Moreover, you should not store your avocados in a humid or warm environment as the moisture content can mess up the quality of the avocado and along with warm temperature, it also provides a suitable environment for the molds to grow upon.
  1. You should not leave your cut avocados for more than 2 hours at room temperature. 
  1. You should put the cut avocados in a plastic zipper bag before storing them in the refrigerator.

Other FAQs about Avocado which you may be interested in.

Can you eat an unripe avocado? (5 Tips)

Can you eat an overripe avocado? (3 Tips)

Can you eat an avocado with brown spots?

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “how long can avocado sit out” with an in-depth analysis of the shelf life of avocado at room temperature. Moreover, we discussed the shelf life of avocados in the fridge and different ways to spot bad avocados.

Citations

https://findanyanswer.com/can-you-eat-avocado-left-out-overnight#:~:text=In%20this%20range%20of%20temperatures,no%20more%20than%20two%20hours.
https://oureverydaylife.com/long-can-guacamole-sit-out-before-bad-22575.html#:~:text=Outside%20of%20these%20temperatures%2C%20guacamole,to%20eat%20for%20one%20hour.
https://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/45
https://www.glad.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Glad_How_Long_Does_Guacamole_Last.pdf

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!