# Why are my avocados turning red minutes after I cut them.



## ray vera (Oct 2, 2015)

I cut my avocados in half and after a few minutes of leaving them on the counter I noticed they started to turn red. What does this mean?


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

What knife are you using?  Avocados will certainly oxidize but the speed they're oxidizing sounds like you may have used a carbon blade.


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## berndy (Sep 18, 2010)

Your avocados are doing what all ripe avocados are doing when exposed to oxygen.

 You can google 'The chemistry of the avocado '


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

We were talking about this a couple of weeks ago and someone mentioned a place she used to go to eat where they had avocado halves waiting for service that still had the seed in it.  After inquiring she was told that if you leave the seed in the cut half it won't oxidize.  I'll have to try that since hass are .77 cents each this week.  And I only use stainless on avocados.


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## cerise (Jul 5, 2013)

Ray Vera said:


> I cut my avocados in half and after a few minutes of leaving them on the counter I noticed they started to turn red. What does this mean?


I cut my avocados when I am ready to use same, and never leave cut on the counter. Whatever is left over, I store in a zip lock in the fridge. Use them/cut into same at the peak of ripeness.

I have used a butter knife to peel away the skin. Never encountered any redness.


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

Mike9 said:


> she was told that if you leave the seed in the cut half it won't oxidize.


That myth has been debunked.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Acid will slow down the oxidation reaction. Lime juice is commonly used for this as it shows up in many of the cuisines that use avocado so there is good harmony.


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## minx (Nov 3, 2015)

When I worked at sushi place, I cut into 10-12pcs and used to spray with diluted lime juice, still good for the next day. We used to cut 2-3 boxes /shift.


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## mgm0 (Nov 27, 2012)

They keep very well in water with lime juice and honey. Same goes for anything that reacts badly with air (oxidizing).


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## taku (Jun 24, 2015)

Hey guys this seems to be an older post, but i wanted to ask: if it is turning red is that a good indication that the avocado is a proper "ripeness"??? or does that just say "this is an avocado and thats what it does"?


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

For decades I've cut my avos in half, twisted to free one half, sprinkled both pieces with lemon or lime juice, and left the pit in the one I'm not eating. Always works for me.

Never saw one turn red-  only brown.  What kind if avos are you using?

Mike


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## french fries (Sep 5, 2008)

MikeLM said:


> Never saw one turn red- only brown.


Same here.


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## panini (Jul 28, 2001)

The pit will turn reddish sometimes. My wife eats fresh avocado every day unless I screw up and there is not a ripe one in the bunch. We get quantity at the farmers market. They're not local.

I then put them all in some old wine boxes in single layers. Sometime I can speed them up if I have to by bagging them. Sometimes too many ripes. I can keep an avocado for a few days without browning.I have one special large plastic food storage containers I use only for avocadoes. I just take a bermuda onion and cut it into 4 sections. I put one quarter in two corners. I heat seal up the other two onion quarters. I can put maybe 6 halves of avocado in the tub and they will not turn brown for 2-6 days. I then use the onion in something and use the sealed onions in a new container batch. I don't wash the container that often, not for any reason, just lazy. Hey, it works. My DW doesn't like them brown. No pits, no lemon juice, no water.


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## brian haden (Jun 30, 2017)

It is an oxidation reaction of the starch contained in the pit. Same reaction that turns the meat brown, but stops at an intermediate. Here is a cool article about a food scientist that is studying whether it could be developed as a coloring agent. http://agsci.psu.edu/entrepreneur/news/2015/food-scientists-explore-bright-orange-in-avocado-pits


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