First, take a good, hard look at that purple beauty. Fresh eggplant has a smooth, shiny skin that almost looks like it’s wearing a waxy coat. If you see a lot of wrinkles, deep creases, or sad-looking shriveled spots, that’s a red flag.
Think of it like your own skin after a long day—a little dryness is okay, but prune-like is a problem. Those wrinkles mean the eggplant has lost moisture and is starting to break down inside. As a rule of thumb, if it looks like it’s been through a small wrestling match, toss it.
Also, check for big, dark bruises or soft, squishy patches. A small blemish is fine, but a really soft spot that feels like a sad pillow means rot is setting in. That’s a one-way ticket to the compost bin.
