I was preparing sandwiches when I noticed several tomatoes covered with unusual round holes and dark, sunken spots. At first, I considered simply cutting away the damaged areas, but the fact that several tomatoes showed the same type of damage made me inspect them more carefully before using them.

Open holes like these can result from insects, physical damage, or deterioration that occurred while the tomato was growing or being stored. Once the protective skin has been broken, bacteria and fungi have an easier path into the flesh, particularly when the damaged area has remained exposed for an unknown amount of time.

A small superficial blemish on an otherwise firm tomato isn’t automatically dangerous. However, tomatoes with deep holes accompanied by soft tissue, leaking liquid, mold, an unpleasant smell, or spreading dark discoloration should be discarded. Cutting around obvious decay isn’t always enough when spoilage may extend beneath the surface.

The safest approach is to examine the entire tomato. A fresh tomato should generally feel firm for its variety and shouldn’t have suspicious odors or extensive soft, rotten areas. When multiple deep cavities are present and there is no way to know what caused them, eating the tomato simply isn’t worth the uncertainty.

So if a tomato has this kind of extensive open damage together with signs of deterioration, refrain from eating it and throw it away. The holes themselves aren’t proof of something poisonous, but once significant damage and spoilage appear together, choosing an undamaged tomato is the safer option.