It's no old-wives' tale – green potatoes contain a toxic chemical called solanine, a distant cousin of strychnine. However, you may be able to salvage your potatoes, and you can definitely prevent it from happening again. Here's what you need to know to keep your potatoes brown and healthy.
Which poison is present in potato?
Potatoes contain two kinds of glycoalkaloids, both natural toxins, called solanine and chaconine. Exposure to light greatly increases the formation of chlorophyll and glycoalkaloids. Chlorophyll is responsible for the green color of many plants and is not toxic.
Can you get poison from potatoes?
Not to worry though, fatal cases of solanine poisoning are very rare these days. Most commercial varieties of potatoes are screened for solanine, but any potato will build up the toxin to dangerous levels if exposed to light or stored improperly.
More useful articles on a similar topic 👇
Does solanine break down when cooked?Are potatoes harmful to humans?
