Potatoes will often go green when they're not stored properly and they're exposed to light. This is due to formation of chlorophyll (which is found in all green plants), however the green colour is a useful indicator that levels of certain toxins that are harmful to humans, known as glycoalkaloids, may be increased.
Is it safe to eat the green on potatoes?
Cooking a green potato does not render it safe. If the green portion of the potato is only on the top of the skin or in a small area, a person can usually cut out that portion and safely eat the remainder. However, if the potato tastes bitter, a person should not continue to eat it.
How much green on a potato is safe?
Olsen said that if a potato is slightly green in one area, she'll just cut that part off. If it's green all over, however, she'll toss it. Worth keeping in mind—solanine tends to concentrate in the peels, so that's an area where you should be especially cautious.
How do you stop potatoes from going green?
You can prevent potatoes from turning green by storing them in a cool, dark area with good air circulation and high humidity. The ideal environment for storing potato tubers for long periods is 45 to 50 F with 90 to 95 percent relative humidity and darkness.
How quickly do potatoes turn green?
It will depend upon the intensity of the light and duration of exposure. It also depends upon what you consider green- any slight hue or green green. Regardless, in our studies we saw green develop between 2 and 4 days, but this was under 23 hour light exposure.
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