Food-safety guidance on handling, cooking, storage, spoilage signs and when food should be discarded.
Black or gray spots on tempeh are often normal Rhizopus spores from fermentation; unusual colors, slime, mushiness, or a strongly unpleasant odor point to a different problem.
A thin layer of oil or watery liquid can separate from hummus during storage and may be stirred back in, but refrigeration history, mold, gas, slime, and off odor matter more than separation alone.
Live insects, larvae, webbing, exit holes, or unexplained powder in nuts indicate a pantry-pest infestation; discard the affected package and inspect nearby dry foods rather than treating only the visible nuts.
Spontaneous bubbles, pressure, sour odor, slime, or increasing foam in refrigerated cooked legumes can signal fermentation or spoilage and call for disposal.
Spoiled tofu commonly develops a strong sour smell and slimy surface; mold, gas, abnormal colors, or poor refrigeration are additional reasons to discard it.
Softness can come from humidity, but sticky, stringy bread with abnormal fruity odor or discoloration can indicate bacterial rope spoilage and should be discarded.
Discard flour with weevils or larvae, inspect nearby dry foods, and clean shelves and cracks; sifting out visible insects does not reliably remove an infestation.
Discard dry rice with insects, inspect nearby pantry foods, and clean containers and cracks; cooking or removing visible adults does not reliably eliminate an infestation.
Fine webbing, larvae, or insects inside dry pasta indicate a pantry pest problem; discard the package and inspect nearby dry foods.
Droplets can come from temperature changes, but persistent dampness, mold, unusual odor, or sticky bread are reasons to discard the affected package.
A little separated whey can be normal in ricotta, but strong sour odor, slime, mold, package swelling, or poor refrigeration are reasons to discard it.
Milky or cloudy albumen usually points to a very fresh egg; pink or green colors, off odor, or poor storage call for a different assessment.