There are two very common signs your potatoes could be deadly, or at the very least make you sick, according to one doctor. A GP from Singapore, Dr Samuel Choudhury, told his 216,000 Instagram followers to avoid potatoes with sprouted shoots, and ones that have turned green. As a tale of caution, he recounted the story of a woman who ended up in the A&E after satisfying her craving for mashed potatoes.
Doctors linked her vomiting and pounding headache back to the potatoes, which Dr Choudhury suggested were displaying a green tinge which can contain the disease solanine. If too much is ingested, he warned, it could lead to headaches, diarrhoea, vomiting, and, in some cases, even death. A post shared by Dr Samuel Choudhury (@drsamuelgp) The toxin can also be present in the shoots when they have been exposed to a light and humid environment for a week or two.
The doctor also referenced a case when "a family of seven became five". Dr Choudhury said the best thing is to "err on the side of caution" and put any potatoes in question out for compost. In the caption to his video, he advised: "Beware (where) you store them - keep them in the dark.
Solanine is also concentrated at the eye / sprouting areas. While some may advice to peel off the green parts / cut out the sprouts - it would be better to just get new ones to play safe." Many in the comment section were not convinced by the doctor's advice, with one user @aminaidris435 joking: "I guess many of us in this comment section are.