Learn English – word for food that’s gone ‘bad’, but is still edible

single-word-requests

Is there a word in the English language for food that has gone 'bad', but is still edible?

Some examples would be honey that has crystalized, ice cream that has ice all over it, etc. The foods aren't in their normal eating conditions, and thus maybe are said to have 'gone bad', but they are still edible.

To me, 'gone bad' suggested they are not edible and is synonymous with expired. The foods can be eaten since honey can be heated to decrystallize it, the ice in ice cream can be scraped off, etc.

Best Answer

Stale suggests the idea of food which is no longer fresh but still edible:

no longer new or fresh, usually as a result of being kept for too long:

  • The bread/biscuits/cake had gone stale.

(Cambridge Dictionary)