How To Tell If Garlic Is Bad?

I use garlic in just about all of my recipes. I love the taste that it adds and the smell… Oh, how I love the smell of garlic! I usually have a couple of bulbs on hand at all times.

The good news is, garlic can last quite a while at room temperature in a dark place. But, how can you tell if it has gone bad? There are four easy things to look for to tell if your garlic is still good or not.

We will cover garlic cloves, minced, and paste.

How to tell if garlic has gone bad

Figuring out whether your garlic is ok to use or if it’s gone bad can be pretty simple. You can usually tell by smell, texture, and looks.

You will most likely see more than one of these things on an expired garlic clove. Follow along and I will go into more detail.

Are you using garlic powder? Learn how to tell if garlic powder is bad.

1. Feel the garlic?

You want to break off however many cloves you are planning to use for your recipe. Give them a little squeeze.

Fresh garlic will be firm, similar to an onion. You really get a good feel for this when you start to peel garlic.

If you find that it has been given to it or is soft then I would say that your garlic has expired and I wouldn’t use it.

Sometimes if it’s soft you will see a little liquid inside when you peel it also. Another sign that it has gone bad.

2. Look at the Garlic?

Does the garlic have brown spots? The same goes if you notice that your garlic is the yellow in color when you peel it.

You can still use it when it’s yellow but it will have a bitter taste.

When you peel your garlic it should be white in color if it is fresh. If it has brown spots I tend to cut them off before I cook with them.

Over time your garlic can start to grow a green sprout inside. This is fine to eat and doesn’t mean that your garlic has gone bad.

Although it is perfectly fine to eat the green sprout it does have a more bitter taste to it. It is easy to remove the sprout from the center of the clove by slicing it down the center and cutting it out or it will even just fall out a lot of times.

It is perfectly fine to eat the rest of the clove as long as there are no signs of brown spots on it.

3. Smell the garlic

Garlic is universally known for its mild, pungent, spicy aroma. If you start to lose that amazing smell then your garlic is either on its way out or already gone by.

You really want to follow all of these steps before you cut garlic.

How to prevent garlic from going bad

• Store fresh garlic in a dark, dry place at room temperature.
• Storing garlic in the fridge will cause it to spoil faster and grow mold.
• Freezing is not recommended as it will change the consistency, texture, and taste.
• Minced garlic should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

How to choose fresh garlic at the grocery store

When I am picking out garlic at the store I am looking for garlic that has the smell come through them even with the wrapper on the garlic.

When buying garlic at the store you want to look for loosely sold bulbs so that you can choose them individually and look them over well.

Fresh garlic should be plump and tight with taunt white papery skin that is flaking a little. Fresh garlic that will have great flavor will also be firm and heavy.

Give this Lemon garlic shrimp pasta a try!

How to store garlic

You want to be sure to store your garlic bulbs in a dry dark space at room temperature. Keep the cloves intact that you are not using to maintain the freshness.

If you are storing minced garlic, it is recommended to store it in a tightly sealed container in the fridge and it should last a few days. If you add a little olive oil to the minced garlic it will gain you another day or so of freshness.

I have an entire post on how to store garlic.

How Long Does Fresh Whole Bulb of Garlic Last?

A properly stored bulb of garlic can last up to three to five months in the pantry. Individual unpeeled garlic cloves can last for seven to ten days in the pantry.

Chopped or crushed garlic can last seven to ten days in the fridge and up to 10-12 months in the freezer. Learn how to freeze garlic.

Pre-packaged garlic that is preserved in oil or pickled in vinegar can last for 2-3 months in the fridge.

Is It Unsafe to Eat Bad Garlic?

It is unsafe to eat bad garlic because it can cause food poisoning, or botulism. Eating bad garlic can produce nasty side effects, such as stomachache, diarrhea, and vomiting.

If you experience any of these symptoms after consuming bad garlic, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.

Signs that garlic has gone bad can include a soft texture, discoloration, and a strong, unpleasant odor. Therefore, it is best to be aware of how to store garlic so that it does not go bad and become dangerous to eat.

Frequently Asked Questions for bad Garlic