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

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TEDEd Animation

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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.

Plants in the wild also sometimes get spots and infections. How do you think pathogens might spread differently in the wild compared to in an agricultural setting?

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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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