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Are spotty fruits and vegetables safe to eat? - Elizabeth Brauer

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In 2010, 30 billion dollars worth of fruits and vegetables were wasted by American retailers and shoppers, in part because of cosmetic problems and perceived spoilage. But what are these spots, anyway, and are they okay to eat? Elizabeth Brauer explains why you may not need to be afraid of picking up your grocery store’s funky-looking fruit.

Domestication often increases susceptibility to diseases. How different are the plants that you see in the grocery store from their ‘wild’ ancestor? How might the changes in features make the plants more attractive to a pathogen?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Elizabeth Brauer
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Director Biljana Labović
  • Animation Artist Courtney Vonada
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen

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