The dark areas are from the production process – they are edible and perfectly normal. Tempeh is a fermented product that incubates for several hours. During incubation, the black and white areas develop as part of heating and cooling. The dark areas are purely cosmetic and will not affect the flavor, texture or shelf life of the product. Our tempeh is pasteurized after it has been packaged and therefore is a cooked product. If you notice any spots that appear a color other than black or white, please do not eat the product.