Potatoes are a staple ingredient in autumn as more people wish to make cosy stews and soups, but it can be frustrating when your spuds spoil before you get a chance to cook them. It may seem obvious to simply store potatoes in the fridge when you come back from the shops, but most people do not realise they are storing potatoes the wrong way. Cynthia Ryan, a cook and founder of Simply by Cynthia , explained: “Never, ever store raw potatoes in the refrigerator.
The colder temperatures in the fridge convert the starch to sugar and alter the taste and texture. “Instead, store raw spuds in a dark, cool-ish and well-ventilated area. I have hanging mesh bags in a utility room closet for this purpose.
” It is also important to keep potatoes away from your kitchen counter as they will naturally begin to rot when in contact with sunlight and moisture. Potatoes exposed to light will turn green and produce a harmful compound called solanine which will make potatoes taste extremely bitter. Kitchens also tend to be very humid places after cooking and the moisture build-up will lead to potatoes becoming mouldy very quickly.
Instead, the best place to store potatoes is somewhere at room temperature where it is dark and dry such as a cupboard or drawer in the kitchen. However, it is also extremely important to keep potatoes away from certain vegetables such as onions, as while they both taste delicious when cooked together they will begin to expire when stored together. Cynthia said: �.