John Myers
Is cabbage still edible that has small black dots around the edges? What are these dots? Some leaves have already turned yellow. Is it just because it’s not that fresh anymore? In my case it’s kale, but I’ve seen it happen with other types of cabbage as well.
Based on your description, the black dots could be what is known as charcoal black. These are fungi of the genus Alternaria. An infestation often occurs with cabbage, but also with other cruciferous vegetables such as mustard, rapeseed, radish or radishes. Yellowing of the leaves is usually observed in the (green) cabbage plant in addition to the black dots. The actually curly, green leaves of the kale turn yellowish.
Individual representatives of the Alternaria fungi can form mycotoxins at very warm ambient temperatures above 25 degrees. These mold toxins can cause allergies in sensitive people or damage their health. However, the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety sees a need for further research here .
If you want to process parts of (green) cabbage with these characteristics, please make sure that only the oldest leaves of the plant are yellowish or infested with the black fungus and remove them. In the case of kale, these are the lower leaves, and in the case of types of headed cabbage such as white or red cabbage, the outer leaves. As a precaution, please only consume the intact parts of the plant. For leaves that otherwise look fresh and healthy, you can generously cut out the dark areas.
