How disappointing for you. Over ripe is my guess. There is a small window of perfect ripeness.

Eileen

Next time you buy them pop the little stem end out while at the store. If it's nice and green under there then the avacado is fine. If it's brown and dry-looking put it back.

I don't know why either, but it happens regularly here, maybe due to the length of shipping time?

I bought half a dozen, all firm, not even beginning to be soft. When I got them home five of the six were all brown on the inside. I figured if they were overripe, they'd be soft and these weren't, but it was a complete waste.

Avocados are getting cheaper here, I saw them for 39 cents each at a local store, but none of them are good. They are certainly not indigenous to Michigan, LOL, and I've pretty much given up on them entirely, they are so seldom usable.

It's too bad, I like them spread on toast, a healthier alternative to butter.

Annie

I had it happen to me last week too, and they only had to travel to Oregon, so I don't think it's time and distance. The ones I bought this week were fine.

I am having the same problem, except I am paying $1.50 each!
The brown is a nasty brown! They do not appear to be over ripe and are not soft to the touch. I think something is happening before we get them - maybe a slight freeze?
I bought 3 last week that had spots of yukky brown.

I think they get too cold in storage and transit before they get ripe and then they rot rather than ripen. What a bummer. I've a few like that even in CA.

Eileen

oh no, don't say that! I just bought 2 at 97c each. They are still greenish and very firm. I'm worried about them being brown now. Blech.

I was told it meant that they had gone through a frost. The refrigeration issue probably functions the same way. Unpredictable from the outside.

I've pretty much given up on them during the winter, so I assume like kitchendetective says, they have gone through a frost.

They can be hard yet still brown. I'm going to try the stem thing though. Thanks!

If you were to pop the stem out of the avocado at the store - wouldn't that considered damaging the product?

This post was edited by teresa_mn on Wed, Feb 27, 13 at 19:29

Maybe, maybe not. It's a two way street, I've bought so much bad produce I was uncompensated for (and still do) that I don't feel guilty doing so.

Bumble - have you tried returning produce you felt was unacceptable?

I think there would be a large amount of returned avocados if everyone did that. I came from CA and they were almost always fine but while I have been in North Carolina, I have found many bad ones, mostly because of fibrous root like stuff and occasionally by the black attack.

I opened this thread hoping that someone here knew how to successfully keeping a half avocado fresh (not brown) for a day or two.

Teresa, I appreciate your conscience.

I dip the exposed side in lemon or lime juice and then wrap tightly with wrap to minimize air exposure. It still gets slightly brown on the very top (can be wiped off but I usually don't bother) but still tasty!

I always have an avocado on the kitchen counter IâÂÂm lucky that my little country grocery store only sells California avocadoes. I have found that I never have a bad avocado from California rarely have a bad one from Mexico but always have a stringy, brown one from Chile. Several week ago I read that some avocado growers down south were cutting down there trees because itâÂÂs become too expensive to water them so the price will be going up for California Avocadoes.