Features

• When avocados are at their peek ripeness, they are creamy with an almost buttery taste. Once they begin to turn brown, they lose their fresh taste and appeal.

Brown Color

• Avocados turn brown for two reasons, if they are bumped or dropped, they can bruise, and when they are cut open and oxygen hits the "meat" they begin to oxidize and thus turn brown.

Significance

• Once an avocado is sliced open, it will begin to turn brown within hours. When making any recipe that includes avocados, make sure it is something that will be consumed within a few hours.

Considerations

• It is not a good idea to eat avocados once they turn brown since they will not taste as well and the browner they get, they can begin to smell rancid.

Tips

• When making guacamole, after you have mixed all your ingredients, put one of the avocado seeds back in with the guacamole, this will keep it greener longer. Lime squeezed in the guacamole will also keep it fresher. Fresh lemon juice will preserve avocados stored in the refrigerator.