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

Potatoes with inexperienced spots usually tend to include elevated ranges of the toxin solanine, which might trigger digestive signs if consumed. Nevertheless, they may very well 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 uncovered to any kind of sunshine, whether or not it is daylight, fluorescent lighting in a retailer, and even the sunshine in your kitchen. The inexperienced colour is attributable to the manufacturing of chlorophyll, the identical pigment that provides different vegetation their inexperienced colour. Chlorophyll itself is innocent and doesn’t have an effect on the potato’s taste or security immediately. Nevertheless, 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 towards pests and ailments,” he says. “Whereas potatoes naturally include small quantities of solanine, the degrees improve to poisonous ranges when the potato is broken, uncovered to gentle, or saved below too sizzling or too chilly situations.”

Solanine additionally causes a bitter taste. If cooked potatoes style bitter or trigger a burning sensation in your mouth or throat, this could 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, may cause critical signs, together with:

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

Most circumstances of solanine poisoning contain delicate signs and are sometimes the results of consuming vital quantities of inexperienced potatoes, however the one solution to utterly mitigate the chance 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 often include a lot lower than this.

The quantity 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 seem after consuming two to 5 milligrams of solanine per kilogram of the individual’s physique weight. For reference, a potato with seen greening may include round 250 to 280 milligrams of solanine per kilogram, which means {that a} small quantity of inexperienced potato can nonetheless pose a danger, particularly for youngsters.

What to Do if Your Potato is Inexperienced

In case you discover a potato has turned inexperienced, listed here are some steps you may take:

1. Assess the greening. In case you 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. Test for sprouts. Inexperienced potatoes usually develop sprouts, which additionally include excessive ranges of solanine. In case your potato has sprouted, it’s greatest to take away the sprouts or discard the potato altogether. In case you select to make use of the potato, minimize or dig the sprouts out utterly, eradicating any inexperienced flesh across the sprouts as nicely.
3. Peel the potato. For the reason that majority of solanine that’s already current in potatoes is concentrated within the pores and skin and simply beneath it, peeling the potato may also help cut back the solanine content material. Be sure you take away any inexperienced flesh as nicely.
4. After cooking potatoes, concentrate on any bitter flavors. Solanine is heat-stable, says Cartwright, which means that baking, boiling, frying, or cooking the potato in another method won’t cut 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 could include increased 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 once they arrive on grocery retailer produce stands. “This contains the whole lot from correct storage and dealing with to screening measures for greening and sprouting earlier than reaching customers,” says Cartwright. “For this reason 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.”

One of the best ways to keep away from the chance of solanine poisoning is to stop your potatoes from turning inexperienced within the first place. This comes down to a few predominant elements, in line with Cartwright: 

1. Correct storage. Maintain potatoes in a cool, darkish, and dry place. Response with gentle 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. Eat contemporary potatoes. Growing older and sprouting may even result in increased 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 greatest to keep away from consuming these discolored tubers if you come throughout them. Whereas small quantities of inexperienced potato won’t trigger extreme signs, the dangers can outweigh the advantages. In case you do come throughout a inexperienced potato, your most secure guess is to both minimize away the affected areas or discard the potato solely.

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