Are you planning to cook potatoes for dinner tonight? In the evening? Yum! And what’s that scent? What’s the reason why potatoes appear like they’re… and wrinkled? Finding out if a potato is rotten from one safe to eat is difficult, particularly if you need to determine the exact criteria you’re trying to find. This is why, in this post, we’ll show you the indicators to determine if a fresh and cooked potato could be harmful. Also, we’ll give you helpful tips regarding eating green or sprouted potatoes and the length of time you can store potatoes in your fridge or the freezer.
HOW TO TELL IF POTATOES ARE BAD?
The standard method for determining whether uncooked potatoes are rotten is a soft or mushy texture. The potato is a sour smell or black spots that appear on the surface.
WHAT DO FRESH RAW POTATOES LOOK LIKE?
Raw potatoes need no spots; they should be soft to the touch and have smooth skin. They should smell earthy, but they should not smell moldy.
two russet potatoes side-by- by one
Fresh potatoes need to have firm skin and be solid.
ARE SPROUTED POTATOES OKAY TO EAT?
Yes, especially if they’ve sprouted. But not if they’ve developed a long growth.
If your potatoes have to sprout and show fragile sprouts, take them out and cook them as usual.
The sprouts absorb nutrients and sugars from the potato to grow the plant. This causes them to shrink. The longer shoots, the lower nutrition your potato is getting.
How Long Do Potatoes Last?
Before we begin, let’s look at the shelf life of these tasty tubers. Raw potatoes kept in the dark in excellent locations can last two to three months. If stored at room temperature, however, they will usually be only able to stay for one or two weeks.
How To Tell if a Potato Is Bad: 6 Signs to Watch Out For
Are you sure that the old potato that you bought has any value? It’s best to throw it away in the event:
- It’s mushy and soft: The raw and whole potato is supposed to be firm to feel. If your potato is extremely mushy, it is probably rotten.
- The skin has shriveled. There are spots of dark color on the skin. The potato’s skin is supposed to be firm and clear of any marks. If the potato appears aged-looking, with patterns or black spots, you should discard it.
- There are obvious signs of mold. It’s not recommended! The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) warns mold can make people sick. It’s not as simple as cutting the mold off, as invisible spores may grow elsewhere within the potato. Eek!
- The smell is terrible. Raw potatoes ought to possess an earthy scent. If they’re extraordinarily stinky and spicy, they’ve started to turn brown or develop mold inside. Yuck!
- It’s green. Green isn’t the color you’d like to see visible on the outside of the potato. According to the University of Idaho, potatoes tend to turn green after exposure to ultraviolet light. This green color comes from chlorophyll. It’s generally safe. However, when potatoes turn green, it’s typically an increase in solanine, an ingredient that could cause harm if consumed in large amounts.
- The potato has sprouted. If your potato is sprouting, it’s an indication that it will spoil. If potatoes begin to grow, their concentrations of glycoalkaloid compounds increase. Consuming too much glycoalkaloid could cause stomach pain and even diarrhea and vomiting. The National Poison Center suggests tossing potatoes that sprouted.
Smelly Potatoes
Contrary to fresh potatoes, which have a distinctive earthy fragrance, the smell of spoiled potatoes is foul and sour. It signals that the vegetables are in a state of decay regardless of how healthy they look on the exterior.
Green Spots And Shoots
The green spots you see on potatoes’ surface contain harmful solanine. Removing small areas is typically possible, but eating potatoes with more extensive green shifts is not recommended.
Ensure you know that organically grown potato varieties often sprout following picking. In contrast to mass-produced supermarket potatoes, the ones grown on farms do not have chemical treatment, and the sprouting process is not slowing down.
Getting rid of little sprouts before cooking your meal is sufficient. However, make sure to avoid tubers with large diameters.
Sagging, Wrinkly, And Mushy Potatoes
The potato’s surface is prone to aging, just like human skin is prone to aging. The skin will wrinkle and shrink as time passes, but it will not affect the flavor initially. It is recommended to remove the tubers from your kitchen so that other potatoes don’t end up harming your dish. When your vegetables become soft, the food won’t taste good for long, and it’s the right time to throw them away. These tubers.
Soft And Sprouting Potatoes
Although potatoes become soft, they can still be a safe food. So long as the tubers remain solid, it’s enough to remove the eyes and sprouts before making dinner. However, getting rid of your veggies is necessary when they get too soft and crumbly.
Moldy Potatoes
If your potatoes aren’t kept appropriately, you’ll see the appearance of mold on the potato’s surface. This is usually due to excessive humidity or inadequate temperatures inside the storage area.
If you find only a few mildew-like spots, take them off and continue to cook your vegetables usually. In other cases, dispose of the tubers that are affected more significantly.
Conclusion
They are known to have an excellent shelf life. The length of time they will last depends on how they are kept or stored and how well they are prepared. If you maintain adequate conditions for them, you can ensure your potatoes won’t get rotten quickly.