Is It Secure to Eat Inexperienced Potatoes?

From mashed potatoes to crispy fries, the standard potato is a staple in kitchens worldwide, cherished for its versatility and comfort-food attraction. Nonetheless, a priority arises if you encounter a potato with a inexperienced hue—do you have to eat it? 

Potatoes with inexperienced spots usually tend to comprise elevated ranges of the toxin solanine, which might trigger digestive signs if consumed. Nonetheless, they might be fit for human consumption when sure precautions are taken. We spoke with Zachary Cartwright, PhD, lead meals scientist at Aqualab and a member of the Institute of Meals Technologists Meals Security and High quality Administration Division, to search out out extra. 

Why Do Potatoes Flip Inexperienced?

Potatoes—which, in fact, develop underground—flip inexperienced when exposed to any type of light, whether or not it is daylight, fluorescent lighting in a retailer, and even the sunshine in your kitchen. The inexperienced shade is brought on by the manufacturing of chlorophyll, the identical pigment that offers different vegetation their inexperienced shade. Chlorophyll itself is innocent and doesn’t have an effect on the potato’s taste or security straight. Nonetheless, the greening course of can generally point out one thing extra regarding is going on beneath the floor—a rise in solanine.

What Is Solanine?

Cartwright says solanine is a pure glycoalkaloid poison present in all members of the nightshade household, which incorporates potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants. “In vegetation, solanine serves as a protection mechanism in opposition to pests and ailments,” he says. “Whereas potatoes naturally comprise small quantities of solanine, the degrees improve to poisonous ranges when the potato is broken, uncovered to mild, or saved below too scorching or too chilly situations.”

Solanine additionally causes a bitter taste. If cooked potatoes taste bitter or cause a burning sensation in your mouth or throat, this will point out excessive solanine ranges, even when the potato doesn’t look inexperienced.

Well being Dangers of Solanine

Consuming excessive ranges of solanine can result in solanine poisoning, which, although uncommon, could cause severe signs, together with:

• Gastrointestinal misery. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the commonest signs related to solanine poisoning. These signs can happen inside hours of consuming a inexperienced potato.
• Neurological signs. In additional extreme instances, solanine can have an effect on the nervous system, resulting in complications, dizziness, confusion, and even hallucinations.

Most instances of solanine poisoning contain delicate signs and are sometimes the results of consuming vital quantities of inexperienced potatoes, however the one option to utterly mitigate the danger is to utterly keep away from any inexperienced potato flesh. 

How A lot Solanine is Harmful?

“A potato with solanine ranges above 20 milligrams per 100 grams of potato flesh can begin to trigger signs,” says Cartwright, although typical store-bought potatoes normally comprise a lot lower than this.

The amount of solanine that may trigger poisoning varies relying on a number of elements, together with the person’s weight, the quantity of inexperienced potato consumed, and the solanine focus within the potato. Solanine poisoning signs might start to look after consuming two to 5 milligrams of solanine per kilogram of the individual’s physique weight. For reference, a potato with seen greening may comprise round 250 to 280 milligrams of solanine per kilogram, that means {that a} small quantity of inexperienced potato can nonetheless pose a threat, especially for children.

What to Do if Your Potato is Inexperienced

If you happen to discover a potato has turned inexperienced, listed below are some steps you’ll be able to take:

1. Assess the greening. If you happen to see inexperienced spots on the surface, it does not imply the entire potato is affected. “You’ll be able to take away the spots and eat the potato,” says Cartwright, “but when it is too nice of an extent, I would not even mess with that.”
2. Verify for sprouts. Inexperienced potatoes usually develop sprouts, which additionally comprise excessive ranges of solanine. In case your potato has sprouted, it’s finest to take away the sprouts or discard the potato altogether. If you happen to select to make use of the potato, lower or dig the sprouts out utterly, eradicating any inexperienced flesh across the sprouts as effectively.
3. Peel the potato. Because the majority of solanine that’s already current in potatoes is concentrated within the pores and skin and simply beneath it, peeling the potato can assist scale back the solanine content material. You’ll want to take away any inexperienced flesh as effectively.
4. After cooking potatoes, pay attention to any bitter flavors. Solanine is heat-stable, says Cartwright, that means that baking, boiling, frying, or cooking the potato in every other manner is not going to scale back its solanine content material. Solanine can impart a bitter style to the potato, so in case your potato tastes bitter after cooking, it is a good indication that it might comprise greater ranges of solanine and it’s best to cease consuming it.

Stopping Potatoes From Turning Inexperienced

Industrial potato growers take measures to stop greening in potatoes from the second the spuds are harvested to after they arrive on grocery retailer produce stands. “This consists of all the things from correct storage and dealing with to screening measures for greening and sprouting earlier than reaching shoppers,” says Cartwright. “Because of this you don’t actually see inexperienced potatoes on the grocery retailer. However that will change as they sit out on a kitchen counter over time.”

The easiest way to keep away from the danger of solanine poisoning is to stop your potatoes from turning inexperienced within the first place. This comes down to a few predominant elements, in keeping with Cartwright: 

1. Correct storage. Maintain potatoes in a cool, darkish, and dry place. Response with mild will trigger greening and solanine formation, so this step is vital. 
2. Keep away from injury. Make sure you’re dealing with the potatoes rigorously to keep away from bruising or nicks, which might additionally trigger solanine formation.
3. Devour recent potatoes. Growing old and sprouting may also result in greater solanine concentrations, so eat your spuds earlier than they sprout or flip inexperienced.

The Takeaway: Ought to You Eat Inexperienced Potatoes?

There are potential well being dangers related to consuming solanine, a compound current in inexperienced potatoes, so it’s finest to keep away from consuming these discolored tubers if you come throughout them. Whereas small quantities of inexperienced potato may not trigger extreme signs, the dangers can outweigh the advantages. If you happen to do come throughout a inexperienced potato, your most secure wager is to both lower away the affected areas or discard the potato completely.

By storing potatoes accurately and being vigilant about any indicators of greening, you’ll be able to take pleasure in this versatile starchy vegetable with out fear.