Edible and eatable - Make sure you never mix them up again

Edible and eatable both describe something that can be eaten, but they have distinct nuances in English:

• Edible focuses on safety: It means something can be consumed without causing harm or being poisonous. For example, "These berries are edible" means they are not toxic, but says nothing about their taste or appeal.
• Eatable emphasizes palatability or enjoyment: It means the item is not only safe to eat (edible) but also reasonably pleasant or agreeable in taste. For example, "The soup is barely eatable" suggests it is safe, but not very tasty.

Key points:

• All eatable things are edible, but not all edible things are eatable.
• "Edible" is more formal and common, especially in scientific or safety contexts.
• "Eatable" is less formal and often used to discuss whether food is enjoyable or just barely acceptable.

Example:
Raw potatoes are edible (not poisonous), but most people would not find them eatable (pleasant to eat) without cooking.