Rancid Smell
As with most food items, if it smells bad, it likely is bad. A good avocado should smell slightly nutty at most, but usually like nothing at all. If it smells off, sour, or chemical-like (reminiscent of Play-Doh), throw it away. There are different standards when assessing the oil.
Stringy AND Moldy
If you see white or fuzzy mold on the skin or near the stem, or if there are black spots inside the flesh that look fuzzy, discard it. Mold can have invisible “roots” that penetrate the soft fruit.
Seep, Streaky Discoloration
While a few brown fibers are fine, if the entire interior is dark brown or black and the texture is mushy rather than creamy, the fruit has begun to ferment. It won’t taste good and could cause an upset stomach.
