When you ask yourself how to know if a potato is bad, you should look for the following things: softness, smell, a green tinge, and solanine poisoning. If any of these things are present, you should avoid eating the potato.
Softness
Potatoes are an integral part of many recipes. However, it’s important to know how to tell if they are fresh or if they have gone bad. Here are a few signs to look for.
The first identifier to consider is a green tinge. This is a natural reaction of the potato’s skin to exposure to light. When a potato is in the process of aging, it will develop wrinkles and spots.
This is a good time to reevaluate your potato storage. If you notice a strange shape, bump or blemish, it’s best to toss the item. You should also check the consistency. Do you see a lot of dripping or a thin coating? There are some moisture evaporating naturally, but this will affect the quality of your potatoes.
If you notice a strong odor or mold, it’s a sign that your potatoes are ready to be tossed. Rotted potatoes can smell funky, sharp, or even fishy.
Another indicator of a poor quality potato is wilted or discolored potatoes. These are no fun to eat. They will spoil your favorite dish and may even make you sick. A good rule of thumb is to never eat potatoes that have gone mushy or wilted.
To see if your potatoes are actually the best they can be, be sure to test them for the following: texture, color, and moisture content. Once you find out the truth about your potatoes, you can start enjoying them.
If you can’t get your hands on a new potato, you can still enjoy them by baking them or boiling them. Be sure to use the proper temperature for your method of cooking, though. Generally, you should try to keep your potatoes between 42 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrinkly skin
If you want to know how to tell if your potatoes have wrinkled skin, you’ll have to look beyond the peel and see what’s inside. Wrinkling is a sign of decay. And, if it’s bad enough, it might even make you sick.
Potatoes are an important part of a healthy diet. The good news is they don’t go bad too quickly. But if you don’t store them correctly, they could be in trouble. To maximize their lifespan, try storing them in a cool, dark place. That will keep them fresh, but you may have to take them out of the fridge occasionally.
One of the first signs that a potato has gone bad is a mushy texture. Mushy potatoes aren’t pleasant to eat. A sagging potato can ruin another potato, so it’s best to discard it as soon as possible.
Wrinkled potatoes aren’t just old, they’re also prone to bacteria. Bacteria can rot the flesh of a potato, making you sick.
Fortunately, it’s not as difficult as you might think to detect the telltale signs of decay. You can see the wrinkled ovaries of a potato, the fuzzy outer layers, and the soft spots. They’re not fun to eat, but you can still use the unaffected parts for a variety of uses.
In case you’ve been curious how to tell if your potatoes have wrinkled eyes, the University of Illinois Extension recommends the following:
In the spirit of educating consumers, the Illinois Extension offers a few tips to help you make wise food purchasing decisions. This includes avoiding green potatoes. Green potatoes are usually cooked in too much sunlight, and can lead to a spongy texture.
Another tip is to avoid storing potatoes in the refrigerator. Storing them in the freezer will not only prevent them from spoiling, but they won’t grow mold or bacteria.
Solanine poisoning
Solanine poisoning is a potentially fatal disease caused by eating potatoes that have green spots. In addition to causing severe nausea, vomiting, and pain in the stomach, solanine can cause central nervous system effects, paralysis, and even death.
The poison is a glycoalkaloid. It’s found in plants of the nightshade family, including eggplants, tomatoes, and potatoes. When ingested in large amounts, solanine can cause gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, and hallucinations.
Symptoms of solanine poisoning usually appear within 8 to 12 hours after ingestion. In some cases, patients may experience symptoms for several days. If the toxicity becomes severe, hospitalization is necessary.
While the most common source of solanine poisoning is potatoes, other foods can also contain this compound. Some people are more sensitive to it than others. Nevertheless, if you think you might have eaten a potato that’s been contaminated, seek medical help immediately.
Potatoes are a natural source of solanine. However, it’s important to know that peeling doesn’t completely remove the toxin. Even if the peel is removed, about 70 percent of the toxic plant compounds may remain.
As a result, it’s important to always wash and peel your potatoes. In addition, potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark place to prevent solanine from developing.
Solanine is a colorless alkaloid that is naturally present in potatoes. It’s also produced by some other plants in the nightshade family. Besides potatoes, solanine is also found in tomatoes and eggplant.
If you are concerned about eating solanine-contaminated potatoes, it’s best to eat ones with white skin. Green-colored potatoes can be dangerous, especially if you have small children.
Solanine is most often associated with potatoes that have been exposed to sunlight. This is because light stimulates the biosynthesis of solanine and other glycoalkaloids.
Green tinge
If you buy potatoes, you might be wondering how to tell if they have a green tinge. There are several factors that can cause potatoes to turn green, but if the potatoes have a green tinge, you should throw them away.
One of the main causes of potatoes turning green is exposure to light. Light has been shown to promote solanine, a toxin found in the potato. Solanine has been known to cause gastrointestinal distress, nausea, and headaches.
The best way to avoid greening is to store potatoes in a cool, dark place. In addition, avoid storing them in a plastic bag as they can trap moisture. Instead, use paper or cloth bags.
Another important factor is the color of the light. Blue light will speed up the greening process. However, red potatoes will not turn as green under this type of lighting.
It is also recommended to remove the skin of the potato before cooking. Peeling off the skin can reduce the amount of solanine.
Another factor to consider is whether the potato is stored properly. Storing them at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit can lead to sugar buildup and cause potatoes to brown excessively during frying.
Finally, don’t forget to wash the potatoes before cooking. Potatoes with a green tinge will need to be cut up to get rid of the toxin.
Once the green tinge is gone, you can enjoy the rest of the potato. You can also save the green parts of the potato.
Buying potatoes from farmers is generally safer than buying them at a grocery store. Many stores won’t rotate the display to get rid of potatoes with defects, so you may have to purchase another potato to replace the one that has turned green.
Smell
The smell of potatoes can be a telltale sign that they are rotten. This smell is often a very unpleasant one. It is usually a musty, earthy, or sour smell. Typically, it is also bitter. If it is present in your potatoes, you should not eat them.
Potatoes are part of the nightshade family. The odor is a result of the glycoalkaloid, solanine. When the potato is rotten, the toxin builds up and causes a very bad smell. Inhaling the fumes can make you sick.
If you find that your potatoes are smelling very musty, you should immediately throw them out. You should also inspect them for signs of mold and decay.
Rotten potatoes can be hard to cut up. They can also be extremely toxic. They can produce toxic fumes, such as methane gas. Unlike other rotten foods, potatoes do not hold their shape. That is why they must be discarded at the first sign of a bad odor.
Toxic odors from spoiled potatoes can also stain certain surfaces. These stains can be red, brown, or blue.
Moldy potatoes are usually a black or green color. Some of the mold will be fuzzy. Other areas are soft and indented. Wrinkles can also be found on potatoes.
Sprouts on potatoes are a very important indication that they are spoiling. Sprouts are about five inches in diameter. As a rule, you should throw out sprouted potatoes. However, if you are unsure of whether a potato is good or bad, you can remove the sprouts and eat the rest.
Raw potatoes with a musty, sour, or bitter odor should be thrown out. A good way to detect the rottenness of your potatoes is to use a smell test. Cut the potatoes open and sniff the inside.
