Diet and Nutrition

Carrots

04/29/2008 04:31PM

Question:

Hello, I recently went on a road trip vacation and brought a 5 lb. bag of carrots. Needless to say I did not finish the carrots and am wondering if I should throw them out. They were delicious with no apparent problems last time I ate one- on about day 4 of the 7 day trip. Since returning I have put them in the refrigerator. Should I be concerned about the carrots bacteria count or of any undesirable problems of carrots without refrigeration?

Answer:

Your carrots are probably fine from a food safety viewpoint. Root vegetables can usually tolerate room temperatures longer than other vegetables without starting to decay. They begin to lose their sweetness quicker though, and may have lost an excess amount of moisture (creating slightly limp carrots). Peel them, cut them up and store them in ice water and they may rehydrate to be eaten raw. Or cook them.
Carrots are grown in the ground and have a thick skin that keeps bacteria out. If you see signs of decay on the outside of the carrot, don't eat it ( or cut out the bad spots and cook the remaining carrot). Our ancestors stored carrots in the basement or root cellar all winter. If the temperature was too warm the carrots either spoiled or started to grow roots and new leaves, just like potatoes will do when stored too long at room temperature.

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Response by:

Sharron Coplin, MS, RD, LD
Lecturer, Food & Nutrition
Department of Human Nutrition
College of Education and Human Ecology
The Ohio State University