What's the White Stuff on my Carrots?

[michele cindy]

A couple of times I've bought a bag of baby carrots and they have a white almost microscopic fuzz on them. Any idea what this is? Is this mold? Are the carrots bad to eat? It reminds me of when you chill chocolate and you get a white ghost like coating.

[rworange]

Huh ... like JMF said, according to this Chow article it is due to dehydration ... which would explain the drier bag ... here's supposedly how to fix the problem. Let us know if it works.

"Mini peeled carrots require no preparation. However, if they turn white from refrigerator dehydration, place them in cold water for a few minutes and they will become vivid orange again"
http://www.chow.com/ingredients/119

[JMF]

It is probably that the carrots are old and drying out, or else mold. It's hard to tell which without seeing a good close up photo.

Those 'baby' carrots are actually a long thin type of regular carrot that are cut into small lengths and polished to have a mini-carrot like shape. They don't have the peel on anymore which would protect them, and so have to be kept in a high moisture environment so they don't dry out. If the moisture levels aren't right they can get moldy or slimy after awhile.

http://www.slashfood.com/2007/01/15/a...

[michele cindy]

Thanks for that info. I think part of the problem is I saw the other packages looked wet inside. I thought that wasn't good, so I went for a drier pack! A bad move....

[julesrules]

I dunno, the wet looking packages usually taste gross to me. Actually I've totally given up on the bagged "mini" carrots.

[ricepad]

Some baby carrots really ARE baby carrots. 'Manufactured' baby carrots usually are called "baby cut carrots", or have some other such weaselly language on the package. You might have to read the bag pretty closely, tho.

[JMF]

It's pretty easy to tell instantly whether they are real or cut 'baby' carrots. The real ones have the peel on and the top and end. If they are peeled and sculpted they are cut carrots.