Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2022 May 4

= May 4 =

Soft oranges
I've seen non-frivolous webpages that claim that a soft spot on an orange indicates rotting/fungi. Is it really that serious? Seems a bit extreme to throw out any citrus that's not firm all over. Could it be something else, like dehydration? Imagine Reason (talk) 16:02, 4 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Can you please direct us to a link we can assess. "I've heard that" or "I've seen that" is not a reliable source, and if we're going to provide you with additional reliable sources, we're going to need to see where you are reading this information.  -- Jayron 32 16:08, 4 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Of course not all soft spots are caused by infection, if you bruise a citrus fruit enough you can make it soft. That said, infections are relatively common and many manifest as soft spots. http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/C107/m107bpfruitdis.html#SOFT 64.79.120.146 (talk) 18:25, 4 May 2022 (UTC)
 * Per 64.79, risk assessment would tend to say that the value lost by throwing away a harmless, but soft, orange is much less than the value gained by not getting food poisoning. Which is to say that while most soft oranges are probably fine to eat, some are very much not, and 1) if you're checking the orange at the grocers, don't buy it if it is soft, because why spend money to take that risk and 2) if it's in your fruit bowl at home, and it's gone soft, the cost of an uneaten orange may be miniscule compared to the potential cost (in either real doctor's bills or in the value of "pain and suffering") of food poisoning.  -- Jayron 32 18:34, 4 May 2022 (UTC)
 * The old adage, "If in doubt / Throw it out." --←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 20:56, 4 May 2022 (UTC)