Are sprouted potatoes safe to eat? Expert settles the debate
If your potatoes have started to change colour and sprout, how far is too far?
We’ve all experienced it, the horror of opening the pantry to find a long-forgotten potato. Shrivelled, sprouting and sometimes even growing tendrils reaching for the light.
Once potatoes have reached this point, you likely don’t want to go near them, let alone eat them, but what if you find them earlier? Is it safe to eat a potato that has begun to sprout, or do you run the risk of making yourself ill? According to Mark McShane, a chef and food safety expert at Food Hygiene Certificate, there is one sign to look out for.
Mark said: “The main concern with sprouted potatoes is the increased presence of naturally occurring toxins called glycoalkaloids, particularly solanine and chaconine. The sprouts and green parts of the potato contain compounds which become toxic when people consume large amounts.
“People can safely use a knife to remove small sprouts from the potato which remains edible as long as its body remains hard and shows no green discoloration. The potato should be thrown away when it reaches the stage of soft, wrinkled, or heavily sprouted condition.
“The green tint that sometimes develops under the skin is another warning sign because it indicates that glycoalkaloid levels may be elevated.”
If consumed in a large enough amount, this toxin can make you sick. According to the Food Standards Authority, glycoalkaloid poisoning is very rare but it can happen.
Symptoms of glycoalkaloid poisoning:
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea
To keep your potatoes from going green and sprouting, Mark recommends keeping them in a cool dry place, and away from the plastic bag they were sold in.
He said: ”Light exposure should be avoided because it causes potatoes to develop a green colour and to begin sprouting, which happens when people store potatoes inside plastic bags or in spots that receive direct sunlight.”
