When your white button mushrooms start to turn brown, it’s a sign they are getting old. That doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad – if they’re still smooth and feel dry, they should be fine, but use them quickly. On the other hand, if button mushrooms feel slimy, they’re probably going bad and should be tossed out.
When the mushrooms are getting bruised they typically in the first stages of going bad. This means that it is time to use them before they hit the other stages of smelly and slimy. Typically this is very easy to notice on white button mushrooms seeing that you can really see the difference in color.
Check the cap of white button mushrooms and cup mushrooms. Turn the mushrooms over to examine the caps. Open caps indicate that the mushrooms are old, whereas closed caps are a sign that the mushrooms are young and tender. Mushroom caps open up as the mushrooms age.
How can you tell if mushrooms have gone bad?
Mushrooms that are old and spoiled due to dehydration have a dried, grayish tinge and are shriveled. White mushrooms should be unblemished with a smooth texture and bright white color. Check the cap of white button mushrooms and cup mushrooms. Turn the mushrooms over to examine the caps.
You could be asking “How do you know if mushrooms are bad after cooking?”
Well, a slimy film is the telltale sign of a spoiled mushroom. If you catch it early and cook ’em up right away you can get another day out of your ‘shrooms, but once the slime starts, it’s a slippery slope toward the darkening in color and mushy texture that indicate mold of the inedible variety.
What happens if you eat mushrooms with black spots?
If you notice any bruises or brown and black spots on the mushrooms, throw them in the trash, since they could make you sick. Or, if you see a slimy coating on the mushrooms, don’t eat them. You can also tell bad mushrooms from a sour or fishy smell.
The truth is that bad mushrooms can make you very sick. However, the risk is very low if you’re eating store-bought or farm-fresh. There’s even less of a risk if you eat them cooked. Still, you obviously don’t want to eat bad food.
Do mushrooms smell bad when you cut them?
Mushrooms may smell pungent when you cut them, but that smell dissipates as they age. If you smell them and they don’t smell right, throw them away. Many people will have spent money on a package of portabella mushrooms, only to find that the day after opening the package, they’re not as tasty as they were when they were first purchased.