Food Science: When Good Carrots Turn Green (2024)

Emma Christensen

Emma Christensen

Emma is a former editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts. She is the author of True Brews and Brew Better Beer. Check out her website for more cooking stories

updated May 12, 2022

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Food Science: When Good Carrots Turn Green (1)

And this time we’re not talking about “environmentally-friendly carrots”!

If you’ve ever sliced into a freshly-baked carrot cake only to find that the shreds of carrot have turned green, you will probably agree that this is a rather disconcerting experience, to say the least.

Why does this happen and is our cake safe to eat? For these answers and more, read on!

Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explains that carrots turn green when the batter “contains too much baking soda, or when the soda isn’t evenly mixed in the batter.”

Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance. When the shreds of carrot come into contact with the alkaline baking soda, a chemical reaction takes place that causes the pigments to change color.

Ipso facto, green carrots!

If your carrots turn inexplicably green with a recipe you’ve used many times before, the likely culprit is that the baking soda didn’t get fully dispersed throughout the batter.

If your carrots are turning green every time you make the recipe, the ratio of baking soda in the recipe is probably off. Try reducing the amount by a quarter teaspoon next time you make the recipe.

Unappetizing though they may be, cakes and loaves with green carrots are perfectly safe to eat and taste no different than normal cakes!

Blueberries, sunflower seeds, and walnuts are also reactive to alkaline environments and experience similar color changes when the amount or distribution of baking soda is off.

Have a food science question? Let us know!

Related: Graffiti Recipes: The Secret Carrot Cake of Pasanen

(Image: Flickr member .marn licensed under Creative Commons)

Food Science: When Good Carrots Turn Green (2024)

FAQs

Food Science: When Good Carrots Turn Green? ›

Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explains that carrots turn green when the batter “contains too much baking soda, or when the soda isn't evenly mixed in the batter.” Carrots contain pigments that are sensitive to changes in pH balance.

What causes greening in carrots? ›

Greening of the top of the carrot is caused by sunlight. Heavy rain can wash away the soil from carrot roots exposing them to the sun. An off-flavor is often associated with this green color. Remove the tops before consuming or canning the carrots.

What is the green on carrots? ›

Simply, this green colour is. caused by the sunlight reacting with the chlorophyll in the exposed carrot. Basically photosynthesis has occurred.

What does a green center in a carrot mean? ›

What you see: Green inside your carrot What it is: Chlorophyll that developed after excess sun exposure Eat or toss: If it's just a green ring, like you. Read it. Read it.

What is the green stuff on carrot cake? ›

Our answer. The green flecks are carrot but the colour has been changed by the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the mixture. Some pigments are sensitive to pH balances and will change colour if they are in a very acid or very alkaline environment.

What happens when carrots turn green? ›

If your carrots turn inexplicably green with a recipe you've used many times before, the likely culprit is that the baking soda didn't get fully dispersed throughout the batter. If your carrots are turning green every time you make the recipe, the ratio of baking soda in the recipe is probably off.

What causes the green color in vegetables? ›

It's the chlorophyll. All green vegetables owe their colour to chlorophyll, a complex molecule present in certain plant cells. A magnesium atom is located in the centre of the molecule.

Can you eat carrots that are green in the middle? ›

Yes they should be ok, probably bitter.

Can you eat carrots that have sprouted? ›

The carrots are safe to eat as long as they are not in any way slimy and still feel firm to the touch.

Which part of carrot is not edible? ›

The edible part of the carrot is the Carrot Root. This is where the plant stores its nutrients, making it sweet and nutritious for human consumption. Other parts of the carrot, like the leaves and stems, are also edible but are not usually eaten.

Why are my carrots slimy? ›

This happens when the carrots are exposed to air for long periods of time when they're not tightly sealed in a bag or container. Luckily, this white film is perfectly safe. If you can't mentally stomach them at this point, cook them!

Are limp carrots still good? ›

Carrots go soft and floppy when they start going bad. However, this doesn't mean they're unusable (see below). However, if they feel slimy, then they have gone off and should be placed in the garbage. Smell.

Why are my carrots woody? ›

Environmental factors such as too hot and dry, or too cold and wet, irregular watering, poor drainage or leaving the carrots in the ground for too long. Also, excessive nitrogen, so adding too much nitrogen rich compost or organic matter or fertiliser to the soil.

What is the green thing on a carrot? ›

share: In most the grocery stores you probably won't find carrots with their tops attached. It's a shame because, carrot greens — also known as “fronds” — aren't just a decoration on top of Bugs Bunny's favorite snack. These feathery green leaves are a table-worthy food.

Why is my carrot cake rubbery? ›

If too much of a closing agent, e.g. liquid, is used, the cake produced has a 'close' texture. That is, it is dense, tough and rubbery. After baking, the sides tend to collapse inwards forming a sort of 'X' shape called an 'X' fault.

What is the orange stuff in carrots called? ›

You know beta-carotenes as the pigment in certain red, orange and yellow fruits and veggies. “Eating too many beta-carotene filled foods can turn your skin an orangey color,” explains Dr.

What is the cause of greening disease? ›

Citrus greening is one of the world's most serious diseases of citrus that affects all cultivars and causes the systematic death of trees worldwide. The disease is caused mostly by the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter species. The wind, rain, and touch of infected workers cannot transmit this infectious disease.

Can you eat carrots that have started to sprout? ›

The carrots are safe to eat as long as they are not in any way slimy and still feel firm to the touch.

What causes greening in plants? ›

Chlorophyll. The green pigment in leaves is chlorophyll, which absorbs red and blue light from sunlight. Therefore, the light the leaves reflect is diminished in red and blue and appears green. The molecules of chlorophyll are large (C55H70MgN4O6).

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