Just a fortnight, or in some cases a mere few days, after bringing home the weekly shop, potatoes often begin to sprout, wither, shrink, and lose their firmness - particularly if stored the wrong way. Exposure to excessive light, especially direct sunlight, can trigger sprouting in potatoes and cause them to wrinkle and turn green. Provided they remain firm to the touch, aren’t excessively wrinkled, and the sprouts are small, potatoes are still safe to eat even after sprouting.
However, there are concerns about toxins in potato sprouts. As potatoes deteriorate, they can overproduce solanine, a chemical that causes them to turn green and taste bitter. To prevent this, Lucia Washbrook, sales and marketing director at Branston , the UK’s largest potato supplier, has shared her expertise on proper potato storage.
Lucia claimed: “Potatoes stored in the fridge can last over three times as long compared with storing at room temperature.” This is supported by research from the Waste and Resources Action Programme, which suggests that storing potatoes in this way could potentially “save 100,000 tonnes of food waste per year”. Lucia added: “Storing potatoes in the fridge should be encouraged to prolong the lifespan and prevent Britons wasting over 5.
8 million potatoes each year.” While the previous advice was to store potatoes in a cool, dry and dark place, like a cupboard, it’s now suggested that they should be kept in the fridge at below five degrees Celsius. This m.